Jamaat-e-Islami MP Gazi Nazrul Islam is facing questions over his parliamentary future after legal experts said his claim of a second marriage, made following the circulation of an intimate video involving a young woman on social media, appears not to meet Bangladesh’s legal requirements.
The episode could trigger serious fallout over alleged marriage law violations, false statements, and misuse of influence, with any proven misconduct potentially costing him his parliamentary seat.
The lawmaker has plunged into legal jeopardy after explaining a leaked hotel footage by claiming it involved a “second marriage”. He broke his silence on Facebook after clips showing intimate moments with a young woman at a hotel went viral, insisting that the pair were married.
Legal experts say the union appears completely invalid under Bangladeshi law, raising the prospect of an illegal, forced registration that bypassed mandatory statutory procedures.
The scandal has now exposed the MP to a barrage of serious allegations, ranging from acts of moral turpitude and launching a misleading cover-up, to abusing his parliamentary influence to validate the union.
Jamaat supporters initially claimed the footage was AI-generated, but Gazi Nazrul later acknowledged the woman’s identity and said he had married her on 17 June.
Several videos since gone viral online. In one clip, Gazi Nazrul can be seen with folded hands, pleading for forgiveness and claiming the room had been booked by someone else. “I only took her to the hotel once,” he insisted. “I didn’t even pay for the room, my driver did. I made a mistake, please just let me go.”
Following more than 24 hours of intense public backlash and online speculation, Nazrul took to Facebook on Tuesday to address the controversy, posting a statement in which he claimed the woman was actually his second wife.
The lawmaker’s first wife, young woman seen in the videos, and her father later also claimed that the marriage had taken place.
But under Bangladesh’s Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961, a man cannot marry again while having an existing wife without prior written permission from an Arbitration Council.
Legal experts say that although a second marriage is not prohibited under Bangladeshi law, failing to obtain the required approval makes the process unlawful and prevents registration under the Muslim Marriages and Divorces (Registration) Act, 1974.
Gazi Nazrul claimed that the marriage took place at the young woman’s father’s home in Gabura village under Shyamnagar, Satkhira.
Asked whether he had been invited to the wedding, Satkhira district Jamaat Secretary and spokesperson Abdul Aziz said, “Your question is both fair and unfair at the same time. It is fair because an MP is getting married, and as the district secretary of Jamaat, one would expect me to receive an invitation. But it is also unfair because you know there is a considerable age gap between the bride and groom. Weddings like this are not usually held in the conventional way. Only the MP’s first wife and a few close younger associates were present.”
However, Gabura Union Parishad Chairman GM Masudul Alam told TIMES of Bangladesh that the MP never applied for permission for a second marriage.
Asked whether he knew that the MP had married again, the chairman said, “I have heard about the marriage.”
Asked when he heard about it, he replied, “Just today.”
The alleged marriage registration has also raised questions.
The document circulating online bears the seal of Kazi Badrul Alam Md Baki Billah.
“I did not conduct the marriage ceremony, I only registered it,” Badrul told TIMES.
When asked how he registered the marriage without Arbitration Council approval, he replied, “I did it because the first wife was present.”
Lawyers say the presence of the first wife does not replace the legal requirement for approval from the Arbitration Council.
Supreme Court lawyer Nahida Khanam said a second marriage application can be made on grounds including a wife’s physical incapacity, inability to bear children or serious marital conflict.
Gazi Nazrul’s first wife, however, is not unable to have children. His affidavit submitted before the 13th parliamentary election mentioned his children.
While questions remain over the state of their relationship, his first wife has publicly defended him, warning that she would take legal action against those spreading misinformation.
Under the law, a man who marries again without Arbitration Council approval can face up to one year’s simple imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk10,000 or both.
He must also immediately pay the full outstanding dower to his existing wife or wives.
Hostage claim adds another twist
As the controversy deepened, Gazi Nazrul alleged that he and his two wives were held hostage and forced to pay Tk1 lakh at his second wife’s father’s business office in Moghbazar, Dhaka.
In a Facebook statement, he said that on 13 July he visited the office of his father-in-law Md Masum Billah with his first wife Maksuda Begum and second wife Mariam Begum.
He alleged that his second wife’s maternal uncle Obaidullah later returned with five to seven unidentified people, who entered the room, detained them and demanded money.
He further claimed that his rented vehicle was held back and additional payments were demanded.
However, despite making the allegation, Gazi Nazrul did not file any police complaint.
Hatirjheel Police Station OC Md Asaduzzaman told TIMES, “Gazi Nazrul has not come to us with any complaint.”
Ramna Model Police Station OC Md Rahat Khan also confirmed that the MP had not lodged any complaint there.
The contrast has drawn attention as the lawmaker previously approached police over a matter involving alleged theft of vehicle parts.
Pallabi Police Station OC Hasan Bashir said Gazi Nazrul had complained three to four weeks earlier that parts of his brother’s vehicle were stolen while it was parked near Rose Garden Tower in Uttar Kalshi in Mirpur.
“His brother came and I assigned an officer. Later, he did not respond to us. So I cannot say what happened afterwards,” the OC said.
CV and marriage documents raise new questions
Further questions emerged after inconsistencies were found in documents linked to the young woman.
On her CV, Gazi Nazrul signed a recommendation that read “strongly recommended” with the date 22 June 2026.
The same CV describes the young woman’s marital status as “unmarried”.
A comparison between the signature on the recommendation letter and the handwritten signature appearing in the alleged marriage document as the groom’s signature also shows visible differences.
The discrepancies have added another layer to a growing political controversy surrounding the Jamaat lawmaker.
Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said public representatives must follow the law even in private matters.
“Marriage may be a personal matter, but if legal requirements apply, everyone must comply. For a public representative, this responsibility is even greater. If the proper procedure was not followed, legal consequences will follow. Beyond the legal issue, questions will also arise about the ethical suitability of continuing as a public representative,” he told TIMES.
Gazi Nazrul’s bid for a settlement
Several videos involving the Jamaat MP have gone viral, with the longest clip running for nearly six minutes and providing a detailed glimpse of the incident.
In the footage, several people are seen forcing open a door and questioning Gazi Nazrul and the young woman inside. The room appears to be in a hotel, as the Jamaat leader says his driver had rented it.
Those who entered the room ask Gazi Nazrul and young woman for their names, identities and home addresses.
At one point, the teenaged woman says Gazi Nazrul is her grandfather. The Jamaat leader, however, remains silent about their relationship.
Several people in the video allege that the girl was brought there with promises of a job. They claim they caught the elderly man red-handed and say they have evidence of the incident.
In the later part of the video, Gazi Nazrul identifies himself as a Jamaat leader from Satkhira and proposes resolving the matter through a settlement.
Towards the end of the footage, some people are heard claiming that the girl is aged between 13 and 14.
One person is heard saying, “This is Neela’s house. They used to support the Awami League. Now they rent out the house for prostitution.”
A young man then asks, “How many times have you come here before? Tell us the truth, how many times? We have seen you coming here for several days but could not catch you.”
Gazi Nazrul replies, “I came to the hotel with her only once. I did not book the room, my driver did. I have done wrong. Please let me go, brother.”
Fahad Iftakhar and Tawsheef Prachya contributed to this report.
