Viral intimate video puts Jamaat MP under spotlight

SATKHIRA, July 21: A viral video allegedly showing Satkhira-4 (Shyamnagar) lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam, 76, in an intimate moment with an 18-year-old woman has sparked widespread controversy, raised questions over the timeline of their relationship and prompted Jamaat-e-Islami to launch an internal fact-finding process.

The footage, which began circulating on social media on Monday night, appears to show the MP with the woman inside a room. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Nazrul Islam denied allegations of an extramarital relationship, saying the woman is his legally married second wife, Mariam Begum.

Documents reviewed by this correspondent show that Mariam Begum passed the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination in 2026 and that her date of birth is May 22, 2008, making her 18 years old.

However, the timeline surrounding the relationship has drawn scrutiny. Information available to this correspondent indicates that the CCTV footage now circulating was recorded in 2023, while the MP claims he married Mariam Begum on June 17, 2026. Records also show that on June 22, 2026-five days after the claimed marriage-Nazrul Islam issued a recommendation supporting Mariam Begum for employment.

Repeated attempts by this correspondent to contact the lawmaker after the video surfaced were unsuccessful.

In his statement, the MP said that on July 13 he visited a business establishment in Moghbazar, Dhaka, owned by Mariam's father, Md Masum Billah, accompanied by his first wife, Maksuda Begum, and Mariam.

He alleged that during the visit, his driver and Mariam's maternal uncle, Obaidullah, entered the room with several unidentified individuals, held them against their will, took Tk 100,000 and later demanded several lakh taka after he refused to pay.

Nazrul Islam further alleged that Obaidullah secretly recorded private moments between him and Mariam before leaking the footage on Facebook and other social media platforms to portray the relationship as illicit and damage him politically.

The controversy has also put the ruling party under pressure. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Jamaat-e-Islami said it was collecting information and verifying the facts before deciding whether any organisational action would be taken against the lawmaker.

"The party has been closely monitoring media reports concerning Gazi Nazrul Islam, MP for Satkhira-4," said Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, secretary of Jamaat's Central Publicity and Media Department.

He said statements from the MP, his first wife, the woman identified as his second wife and her father had already been made public, and the party would determine its next course of action after examining all available evidence.

The controversy deepened after several independent fact-checking organisations reportedly concluded that the viral footage was authentic and showed no evidence of manipulation through artificial intelligence or deepfake technology. Earlier, the Satkhira district unit of Jamaat had claimed the video was fabricated as part of a conspiracy.

Videos featuring statements from the MP's first wife, Mariam Begum and her father later surfaced on social media. They described the issue as a family matter and alleged that it was being exploited for political purposes.

The allegations made by the MP regarding extortion, unlawful confinement and the unauthorised recording and dissemination of the footage have not been independently verified.

This version keeps the woman's age prominently in the lead while clearly attributing the information and distinguishing documented facts from the MP's claims.