Palak suffered neck and waist injuries in prison van incident, claims lawyer
The lawyer alleged that Palak sustained serious injuries to his neck and waist in the incident and was not receiving proper medical treatment.
Former state minister for information and communication technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak suffered injuries to two bones in his neck and three in his waist following a recent prison van incident while being taken from jail to the International Crimes Tribunal, his lawyer Tarikul Islam has claimed.
The lawyer alleged that Palak sustained serious injuries to his neck and waist in the incident and was not receiving proper medical treatment.
Speaking to the reporters today (12 May), Tarikul said lawyers had applied for an MRI scan following the incident, after which prison authorities arranged the examination at BMU Hospital.
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"We received the MRI report today. The report shows that three bones in Palak's waist, namely L-2, L-3 and L-4, have shifted. Problems were also detected in two bones in his neck, including issues in the discs between C5-6 and C6-7," he said.
The lawyer further claimed that Palak had already been suffering from health complications.
"I met him in prison last Saturday. He is unable to move his neck. Despite the MRI findings showing injuries in the neck and waist, no treatment measures are being taken. We will apply to the court for his treatment," he said.
Questioning the nature of the incident, Tarikul said, "We suspect whether this was merely an accident or something planned. No investigation committee has been formed over the matter."
Witness testimony is currently underway at International Crimes Tribunal-1 in a case involving former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and former state minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
The testimony in the case began last Wednesday. While Sajeeb Wazed Joy remains absconding, Palak has been arrested and is currently in jail.
According to reports published in various media outlets, a prison van carrying Palak and several division-status inmates met with an accident on 28 April while transporting them from Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj to the tribunal, leaving several people injured.
However, prison authorities said in a statement that no such accident occurred on 28 April.
According to the statement, the actual incident took place on 19 April when the prison van suddenly braked while descending from the Postogola Bridge. Palak allegedly failed to maintain balance and collided with another inmate, ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, causing slight pain in his neck.
