Referring to Satkhira-4 MP Gazi Nazrul Islam, Public Prosecutor (PP) Omar Faruq Faruqi has said the incident involving the lawmaker is now an example of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s call for the “rule of honest people”.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists at around 3:10pm on Monday after the remand hearing of Gazi Nazrul and his first wife Makhsuda Islam at the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ehsanul Islam.
The state counsel said Gazi Nazrul allegedly lured the complainant’s brother-in-law to gain control over him before taking Mariam Khatun, who later died, to a hotel. He said an investigation was needed to determine what happened there.
Faruqi said a suicide note recovered after Mariam’s death mentioned the reasons behind her suicide and allegations of physical and mental torture.
He said the investigation could not be concluded based only on the statements in the First Information Report (FIR), and detailed interrogation of the accused was necessary to uncover the facts.
“The law is equal for everyone. The truth behind the incident must come out before the nation,” he said, adding that this was why the state had sought the maximum remand period.
Earlier, Investigation Officer Sub-Inspector Shamsuddoha Sarkar of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station sought seven days’ remand for Gazi Nazrul Islam, Makhsuda Islam and driver Obaydur Rahman.
In the remand plea, the IO said investigators needed to determine whether the accused were present at the residence when Mariam died, whether she was abetted to commit suicide and whether she was subjected to physical and mental torture before her death.
The application also stated that questioning was necessary to examine the relationship between the accused and the victim, their presence at the scene and their roles before and after Mariam’s death.
During the hearing, defence lawyer Mahbubur Rahman opposed the remand plea and sought bail for the accused.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court granted four-day remand for Gazi Nazrul Islam and one-day remand for Makhsuda Islam.
Earlier on Monday, the accused were taken to the lock-up of the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court around 2:22pm in a white microbus.
Police produced Gazi Nazrul Islam and Makhsuda Islam before the court at 3:11pm. Their lawyers then submitted vakalatnamas. The judge took the bench around 3:15pm and ordered maintenance of order in the courtroom before the remand hearing began at 3:16pm.
The case was filed with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station by Mariam’s father, SM Masum Billah, naming Gazi Nazrul Islam, Makhsuda Islam and driver Obaydur Rahman as accused.
Police said the investigation is focusing on the roles of the accused before and after Mariam’s death, their presence at the scene, the suicide note and allegations of physical and mental torture mentioned in the complaint.
