State Minister Palak gets flak for helmet-less ride to work

Zunaid Ahmed Palak might have just wanted to impress his followers on Facebook but he has ended up raising eyebrows.

The state minister for ICT came to work pillion-riding on a motorcycle but did not wear a helmet on Tuesday.

The photos Palak posted of him riding to work at Dhaka’s Agargaon drew much flak on Facebook.

Many criticised the MP for flouting traffic laws strictly enforced by police on regular citizens. 

But his office responded with a statement explaining the reason behind the minister’s decision to travel to work on a motorcycle, instead of his ministerial car.

The ICT Division's statement said Palak had a 12pm meeting to catch at his ministry but was stuck in traffic, which compelled him to take a bike to work.  

“He surprised everybody by reaching the office in time,” read the statement.

Before making it to the view-exchange with his staff at the ICT Tower, Palak visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi and the National Memorial at Savar with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other cabinet colleagues.

The new ministers took oath of office headed by Hasina who began her party’s third term in government on Monday after sweeping the results of the 11th parliamentary election.

Unlike his many senior colleagues from the previous cabinet, Palak retained his portfolio as state minister and was headed to his first day of office on Tuesday.

“The bike I hurriedly took a ride on did not have an extra helmet. The bike wasn’t from a ride-sharing company. It was a privately-owned vehicle,” Palak told bdnews24.com.