Chhatra League leader gets 5 minutes to bid farewell to deceased wife, infant at Jashore jail gate

Jewel Hasan Saddam, president of the Sadar upazila unit of the banned Chhatra League in Bagerhat, was allowed to bid farewell to his deceased wife and nine-month-old infant at the gate of Jashore Central Jail for five minutes last evening (24 January).

Saddam was not granted parole to attend the funeral despite the family submitting an application to the Bagerhat deputy commissioner's office. However, the Jashore prison authorities allowed six close relatives to accompany the bodies inside the jail on humanitarian grounds, citing jail rules.

According to jail officials, an ambulance carrying the bodies arrived at the prison around 7pm. Six close family members were permitted to enter the jail gate with the ambulance at about 7:30pm, after which they were escorted out five minutes later.

Eyewitnesses said 12 to 15 relatives arrived at the jail in two microbuses, while a crowd of locals and media personnel gathered outside the prison. The scene turned emotional as family members waiting outside broke down in tears.

The incident sparked widespread discussion and condemnation on social media, with many netizens saying Saddam should have been granted parole.

No parole application received, says home ministry

The home ministry, however, said no application was submitted to the Jashore authorities for the parole release of prisoner Jewel Hasan Saddam following the death of his wife and child.

In a statement issued this afternoon, the ministry said neither Saddam's family nor any representative applied to the Jashore deputy commissioner and district magistrate or to the Jashore Central Jail authorities seeking his release on parole. 

The ministry added that reports circulating in various media outlets and on social media claiming that such an application had been made are incorrect.

What Bagerhat DC says

Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Golam Md Baten said the parole application reached his official residence on Friday. Upon being informed, he consulted the local prison authorities, who clarified that Saddam is currently imprisoned outside Bagerhat district. 

Under the Prison Act, 2016, a prisoner held outside the district concerned cannot be released on parole by local authorities, making such a release legally impermissible, he explained.

"The applicants were informed of the legal position and they expressed satisfaction," the deputy commissioner said, noting that the family did not make any further contact regarding the matter.

Saddam's maternal uncle Md Hemayet Uddin said a written application seeking parole was submitted to the deputy commissioner on 23 January through the district magistrate. 

They were subsequently referred to the Bagerhat district prison authorities, who informed them that they lacked jurisdiction to grant parole in the case.

According to Hemayet Uddin, the family was advised to apply to the prison where Saddam is currently held, in line with legal provisions. 

"When we saw no other option, we took the bodies to Jashore Central Jail, where the authorities allowed Saddam just three minutes to bid them farewell," he said.

What the Jashore jailer says

Abid Ahmed, jailer of Jashore Central Jail, said, "On humanitarian grounds, the family members were allowed to enter with the bodies, and Saddam was given five minutes to see his wife and child for the last time at the jail gate."

He explained that the authority to grant parole rests with the district commissioner and that a prisoner can only be released upon receipt of a formal letter from the district administration. 

"They [the family] did not have such a letter," he added.

He went on to say, "As a general practice, even in the absence of formal permission, prison authorities allow a prisoner to see the body of a deceased relative if it is brought to the prison gate, taking humanitarian considerations into account."

An image of an application, with Saddam's maternal uncle Md Hemayet Uddin's name as signatory, circulated on social media. The document requested that the Bagerhat deputy commissioner and district magistrate forward a parole application to Jashore Jail following the deaths of Saddam's wife and child.

However, the Jashore deputy commissioner and prison authorities said they never received such a request.

Jashore district administration's clarification about parole application

The Jashore District Administration clarified in a statement today that no formal parole application had been submitted to the district magistrate or the Jashore Central Jail authorities in connection with Saddam's wife and child's death. 

The statement noted that the family, citing time constraints, opted to bring the bodies at the prison gate rather than pursue a parole application.

The administration also addressed circulating social media posts, including a letter to Saddam's wife and prison photographs, stating these were not related to Jashore Central Jail. 

"Claims that Saddam was denied parole despite submitting an application were deemed false, as no such application was ever received. Instead, the authorities arranged for the bodies to be shown at the prison gate on humanitarian grounds after consulting higher officials," said the district administration.

When asked about any application from Bagerhat, Jashore Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ashek Hasan said they had not received any request for Saddam's release on parole and was unaware of any submission from the Bagerhat administration.

Saddam has been imprisoned in Jashore Central Jail in connection with multiple cases since his arrest in Gopalganj following the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024.

On 12 May last year, the interim government banned the activities of the Awami League and all its affiliate organisations under the Anti-Terrorism Act. 

The tragic day 

On Friday afternoon, police recovered the hanging body of Saddam's wife, Kanij Surbana Swarnali, from their home in Bekhedanga village of Bagerhat Sadar upazila. The body of their nine-month-old son, Nazim, was found beside her.

Police and family members said Swarnali might have died by suicide after killing her nine-month-old child, reportedly due to depression.

Swarnali's father, Sheikh Ruhul Amin, said, "I left home at five in the afternoon for Jashore Jail to see Saddam with my daughter and grandson. By the time we returned from Jashore, it was nearly half-past ten. We completed the funeral prayer at around 11:20pm (24 January), and the burial was finished at midnight."

Saddam's cousin Sagar Farazi said, "Following the deaths of Saddam's wife and child, we contacted the jail authorities so he could attend the funeral, but he was not granted parole."

Sagar further said, "He is not accused in any murder case. He is in jail in political cases. From a humanitarian perspective, he should have been released on parole, even briefly."

Saddam's sister-in-law Karafat also criticised the decision, saying he should have been allowed to attend the funeral of his wife and child.

According to rights body Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), the parole policy formulated by the home ministry on 1 June 2016 allows temporary release for prisoners and detainees of all categories in the event of the death of close relatives, including parents, parents-in-law, spouses, children, and siblings.