A Dhaka court on Sunday rejected the bail petition of Satkhira-4 lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam in a case filed over the abetment of suicide of his second wife, Mariam Khatun.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Shahjahan Kabir passed the order following a hearing.
Additional Public Prosecutor Azizul Haq Didar confirmed the court’s decision.
During the hearing, defence counsel including Mahbubur Rahman and Mizanur Rahman moved the petition for Gazi Nazrul, while the prosecution opposed the prayer.
In the bail petition, the defence argued that the accused is completely innocent, has no involvement in the incident described in First Information Report (FIR), and was implicated solely to harass him intentionally.
The petition highlighted that the 75-year-old senior politician and freedom fighter suffers from complex heart disease, maintains a permanent address, and will not abscond or leave the area if granted bail.
It further stated that as the accused’s first wife was granted bail on compromise conditions on 30 September, he is entitled to bail under co-conditions.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court turned down the bail plea.
Earlier, on 30 September, a Dhaka court approved the bail petition of Gazi Nazrul’s first wife, Maksuda Begum.
According to case documents, police recovered the hanging body of Mariam, from a flat in NAM Bhaban on the evening of 20 September.
Later that night, police took Gazi Nazrul and Maksuda into custody.
On the same night, Mariam’s father, SM Masum Billah, filed a case alleging abetment of suicide against Gazi Nazrul, his wife Maksuda, and the deceased’s maternal uncle, Obaidur Rahman.
The following day, a court granted a four-day remand for the lawmaker and a one-day remand for his first wife following a petition by Sub-Inspector Md Shamsujjoha Sarkar of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station.
The investigation of the case was handed over to Detective Branch (DB) that night.
Subsequently, on 23 September, arrested co-accused Obaidur was sent to prison.
