MP Nazrul, first wife remanded over alleged suicide abetment

A Dhaka court on Monday placed Satkhira-4 MP Gazi Nazrul Islam on a four-day remand and his first wife, Maksuda Islam, on a one-day remand in a case filed over the alleged abetment of the suicide of his second wife, Mariam Khatun.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ehsanul Islam passed the order after Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Sub-Inspector Shamsujjoha Sarkar, also the case investigation officer, sought seven days remand for each of the accused.

Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruki argued in favour of the remand, saying interrogation was necessary to expose the circumstances surrounding Mariam’s death. Defence lawyers, including Mahbubur Rahman, opposed the remand and sought bail for the accused.

According to the police remand petition, investigators want to determine whether the accused had any role in Mariam’s suicide and whether she was subjected to incitement, provocation, mental pressure, threats or other forms of assistance that may have contributed to her death.

Investigators also want to question the accused about the alleged role of Obaidur Rahman, who is named in the case but remains absconding and identify his whereabouts. Police said they also need to determine whether any unidentified persons were involved and uncover the overall circumstances of the death.

Nazrul was brought to the courtroom at around 3:11pm wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet. He spoke with his lawyers, went through the First Information Report (FIR) and later signed the vakalatnama.

MARIAM FOUND HANGING
Police recovered Mariam’s body from a flat on the third floor of Building No. 5 of the National Members Accommodation (NAM) complex in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Sunday afternoon.

Her father, Masum Billah, later filed the case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, accusing Nazrul, his first wife Maksuda and Mariam’s maternal uncle Obaidur Rahman.

According to the complaint, Mariam married Nazrul under Islamic law in June. As Nazrul is a Member of Parliament, Mariam and his first wife lived with him at the NAM Bhaban flat opposite the Jatiya Sangsad complex on Manik Mia Avenue.

The complainant alleged that Mariam had informed her family by phone on several occasions that Nazrul and Maksuda subjected her to physical and mental abuse after the marriage.

On September 20, Nazrul allegedly called Mariam’s father and asked him to come to the residence immediately. When he arrived, he found several people there and was informed that Mariam was hanging inside a room.

With the assistance of police, the door was broken open and Mariam was found hanging from a ceiling fan with a scarf around her neck. A purported suicide note was also recovered from the bed, according to the complaint.

The complainant alleged that Mariam took her own life after being unable to bear the alleged physical and mental torture and pressure exerted by the accused.

EARLIER CONTROVERSY OVER VIDEOS
The latest case comes amid controversy surrounding videos allegedly showing intimate moments between Nazrul and Mariam that circulated on social media in July.

Following the controversy, the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami expelled Nazrul from the party on July 22. The party said its organisational inquiry had found evidence of moral misconduct and that he was expelled under Article 62 of its constitution. The Election Commission was also informed of the decision.

Meanwhile, on July 21, Obaidur Rahman, who was identified as a driver and Mariam’s maternal uncle, filed a separate case with Pallabi Police Station alleging that he was assaulted and subjected to an attempt on his life by strangulation over his protest against the alleged relationship and suspicion that he had leaked the videos.

The High Court granted Nazrul eight weeks’ bail in that case on August 10.

In a subsequent development, Obaidur Rahman was named as an accused in the suicide-abetment case filed over Mariam’s death.

The allegations against the accused are under investigation and remain subject to judicial proceedings.