Actress Jhilik's death: Husband sent to jail after remand

A Dhaka court today (14 June) ordered the imprisonment of Safi Ullah, the husband of actress Asma Akter Jhilik, after the completion of his one-day remand in a case filed over allegedly abetting her suicide.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam passed the order after a hearing, confirmed Sub-Inspector Abul Bashar of Dhaka Metropolitan Prosecution Division.

Jhilik died on Friday (12 June) after falling from the balcony of the eighth floor of Bangladesh Medical College Hospital in Dhanmondi.

Following the incident, her elder brother, Mozammel Haque, filed a case with Dhanmondi Model Police Station yesterday (13 June), accusing Safi Ullah of instigating her suicide.

Police subsequently arrested the actress's husband, and the court granted a one-day remand.

According to the case statement, Safi Ullah had severe abdominal pain and was taken to the emergency department of Government Employees Hospital in Gulistan by Jhilik and her brother at around 5:30am on 10 June.

After doctors advised further examinations, he was taken to Ibn Sina Hospital in Dhanmondi around 6:30am.

Doctors at Ibn Sina recommended hospitalisation based on his physical condition and test reports. However, due to the unavailability of a bed or cabin there, he was admitted to Cabin no 813 on the eighth floor of Bangladesh Medical College Hospital. Jhilik stayed at the hospital to care for him.

The complaint also stated that on Friday morning, Safi Ullah's sister, brother-in-law and son from his first marriage visited him at the hospital. After his condition improved, doctors discharged him around 10am.

Jhilik later informed her brother about the discharge and requested Tk16,000 to pay the hospital bill. At around 1:15pm, she spoke with her younger sister, Reshmi Akter, via video call.

About an hour later, Safi Ullah reportedly phoned Jhilik's father and informed him that she had fallen from the balcony of the hospital cabin and had died.