A 55-year-old man died after falling ill at a Panchagarh court on Wednesday afternoon.

The deceased was identified as Moinul Islam, a resident of the Bar Aulia area under Mirzapur union in Atwari upazila of the district, said police.

Md Ashraful Islam, officer-in-charge of Panchagarh Sadar Police Station, said Moinul, an accused in the land dispute case, was found unconscious on a bench in the corridor on the second floor of the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court building around noon.

He was taken to Panchagarh Modern Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead, the OC said.

Dipendra Nath Singha, administrative officer of the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, said he noticed Moinul lying on a bench around 2:00pm. When he received no response after approaching him, he found the man unconscious.

Anwarul Islam, an assistant to the lawyer handling Moinul's case, said court proceedings had remained suspended due to the visit of a justice of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.

Moinul arrived at the court in the morning and initially sat inside the courtroom. Later, after feeling unwell, he came outside and vomited once but did not inform anyone about his condition, Anwarul said.

The deceased's nephew, Faisal Kabir, said the family was unaware of any serious illness.

Suman Kumar Banik, a physician at Panchagarh Modern Sadar Hospital, said Moinul had died before being brought to the hospital.

"The exact cause of death cannot be determined without an autopsy. However, based on the initial assessment, it appears to be a natural death," the physician said.

Police have filed an unnatural death case in connection with the incident, the OC added.