Summary:
- Former ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak has been denied bail in a corruption case involving alleged illegal assets worth Tk 8.73 crore and suspicious bank transactions totaling over Tk 61 crore.
- Palak claims he began fasting for Ramadan while on remand, expressing frustration over repeated arrests and harsh treatment during court appearances.
- The ACC accuses Palak of money laundering and corruption under multiple laws, including the Anti-Corruption Act, 2004, and the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012.
- Arrested in August 2024, Palak remains detained at Kashimpur Central Jail and faces multiple legal cases, including murder charges linked to the 2024 student protests.
Former Bangladeshi State Minister for ICT, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, has been denied bail in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The case alleges that Palak acquired and possessed assets worth Tk 8.73 crore that are inconsistent with his known income sources. Additionally, he is accused of engaging in suspicious transactions involving Tk 32.04 crore in deposits and Tk 29.84 crore in withdrawals across 25 bank accounts. The ACC also accuses him of money laundering and corruption under various laws, including the Anti-Corruption Act, 2004, and the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012.
Palak, currently detained at Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur, was arrested on August 14, 2024, from the Nikunja Residential Area in Dhaka. Since then, he has been shown arrested in multiple cases, including those related to corruption and murder. In a recent court appearance, Palak mentioned that he began fasting for Ramadan while on remand, stating, “রিমান্ড দিয়ে রোজা শুরু করলাম” (“I started fasting with remand”). His lawyers have expressed concern over his repeated arrests and the conditions under which he is brought to court, often with his hands cuffed behind his back.
Palak’s legal troubles also include allegations of involvement in murder cases linked to the student-led protests in 2024. He has been named as an accused in several murder cases, including those filed at Siddhirganj and Sadar Model Police Stations in Narayanganj. These cases are part of a broader set of legal challenges facing Palak, who has been accused of extensive corruption and misuse of power during his tenure as a state minister. His personal wealth and that of his family have been scrutinized, with allegations of illegal accumulation of wealth and assets both domestically and abroad.
