Anisul, Palak shown arrested in fresh case

A Dhaka court on Sunday ordered former law minister Anisul Huq and former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak to be shown arrested in an attempted murder case linked to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque passed the order following a hearing, said state prosecutor Shamsuddoha Sumon.

Earlier, on 30 September, the investigating officer in the case, Sub-Inspector Awlad Hossain of Jatrabari Police Station, filed a petition seeking to show the two former cabinet members arrested in the case.

Anisul Huq and Palak are currently in jail after being arrested in another murder case. The petition said showing them arrested in the case was necessary for a fair and impartial investigation.

They had played an active role on behalf of the Awami League government in suppressing the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in 2024, it said, adding that investigators had found preliminary evidence of their involvement in the case.

Defence lawyers, including Farzana Yasmin Rakhi, opposed the petition, while state counsel Shamsuddoha Sumon argued in favour of it. After hearing both sides, the court granted the prosecution’s prayer.

According to the case statement, Mamun and several others took part in the July uprising near the flyover in front of Jatrabari Police Station on 18 July 2024.

They came under gunfire during a procession, leaving Mamun with bullet injuries to different parts of his body. He subsequently received treatment at several hospitals.

After recovering, Mamun filed the case with Jatrabari Police Station on 21 January last year.

Anisul Huq was arrested on 14 August 2024 while attempting to flee by waterway from the Sadarghat area, while Palak was arrested the following day. Both have remained in jail since then.