The complainant has filed an application seeking withdrawal of a case against Satkhira-4 lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam over allegations of abetting the suicide of his second wife, Mariam.
In the application submitted to the court, the complainant said, “We have reached a settlement and have no objection if the accused is granted bail.”
The application to withdraw the case was submitted before the court of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sefatullah on Wednesday, said Public Prosecutor Faruk Hossain Faruqi.
During the hearing, the court rejected Gazi Nazrul’s bail but granted bail to his first wife, Maksuda Islam, in the case.
Gazi Nazrul was placed on remand for a total of eight days in two phases in the case. He is currently in police custody.
According to the case documents, the hanging body of Mariam, 19, was recovered from a flat of NAM Bhaban under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station in the capital on the evening of 20 September. At the time, the door of the flat was locked from inside.
Later, police entered the flat after breaking open the door with the assistance of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Mariam’s body was found hanging from a ceiling fan. Police said several notes were also recovered from the scene.
Following Mariam’s death, police took Gazi Nazrul and his first wife into custody that night.
The following day, Mariam’s father, SM Masum Billah, filed the case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station against Gazi Nazrul Islam, Maksuda, and Mariam’s maternal uncle Obaidur Rahman, accusing them of abetting her suicide.
Accused placed on remand
The day after the case was filed, a court granted four days’ remand for Gazi Nazrul and one day’s remand for Maksuda following an application by Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station Sub-inspector Md Shamsujjohha Sarkar.
That night, the investigation of the case was handed over to the Detective Branch (DB) of police.
After the first four-day remand, Gazi Nazrul was produced before the court on 24 September, when case investigation officer Police Inspector Mohammad Salauddin of the DB Tejgaon Zonal Team sought a further seven-day remand.
After a hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ripon Hossain granted four days’ remand. Gazi Nazrul was therefore interrogated on remand for a total of eight days in two phases.
Sent to jail after remand
After the second four-day remand, Gazi Nazrul was produced before the court on 28 September. The investigation officer then sought an order to send him to jail, while defence lawyer Mahbubul Islam sought his bail.
After the hearing, the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ehsanul Islam rejected his bail and sent Gazi Nazrul to jail.
Allegations in the case
In the first information report (FIR), Mariam’s father alleged that she married lawmaker Gazi Nazrul in June under the “direct instigation” of her maternal uncle, Obaidur Rahman. After the marriage, Mariam lived with Gazi Nazrul and his first wife, Maksuda.
The FIR further alleged that after the marriage, Gazi Nazrul and Maksuda physically and mentally tortured Mariam over various issues. It also stated that Mariam had told members of her family about these matters.
