A Dhaka court on Wednesday granted a two-day police remand for television actor Md. Niamat Ullah Bhuiyan, popularly known as Zaher Alvi, in a case filed over the alleged abetment of his wife Afra Ibnat Ikra’s suicide.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Al Biruni Mir passed the order after hearing arguments from both sides.
Earlier, on June 21, the investigation officer of the case, Detective Branch (DB) Inspector Abdul Malek of the Mirpur Zonal Team, had sought a 10-day remand for the actor. The court fixed Wednesday for the remand hearing in the presence of the accused.
According to the remand petition, Alvi allegedly subjected Ikra to humiliation, mental torture and provocative behavior over a prolonged period. Investigators claimed that he frequently made Facebook posts containing remarks directed at Ikra that were insulting and psychologically distressing.
The petition further alleged that despite being married, Alvi posted photographs with another woman on Facebook on February 27, accompanied by provocative comments. Investigators argued that custodial interrogation was necessary to uncover the motive behind the incident, identify and arrest other accused persons and verify relevant information related to the case.
On June 18, Alvi surrendered before the court and sought bail through his lawyers. After a hearing, the court rejected his bail plea and ordered that he be sent to jail.
According to the case documents, Ikra was found hanging from a ceiling fan with a scarf around her neck at the couple’s residence in Mirpur at around 11:45 am on March 1. Family members rescued her and, along with the building owner, rushed her to Kurmitola General Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
Police later visited the hospital, prepared an inquest report and collected evidence from the residence as part of the investigation.
The case was filed on the night of the incident by Ikra’s maternal uncle, Sheikh Tanvir Ahmed. Alvi’s mother, Nasrin Sultana Shiuly, was also named as an accused.
In the complaint, the plaintiff alleged that Ikra had been compelled to take her own life due to long-standing family disputes and various forms of mental and physical abuse allegedly inflicted by the accused.
The investigation into the case is ongoing.
