Mariam's father says no objection to bail as court rejects MP Nazrul's plea, grants first wife's

A Dhaka court today (30 September) granted bail to Maksuda Islam, first wife of Satkhira-4 MP Gazi Nazrul Islam, in a case filed over the alleged abetment of his second wife's suicide.

However, the court rejected Gazi Nazrul Islam's bail plea.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Md Sefatullah passed the order after a hearing today, confirmed Defence lawyer Mahbubur Rahman.

He said they had sought bail for both accused based on a compromise with the complainant, maintaining that neither Gazi Nazrul nor Maksuda was involved in the incident.

"The complainant appeared in court and said he had no objection if the two accused were granted bail," the lawyer said.

He added that the complainant had initially filed the case without fully understanding the circumstances surrounding Mariam's death, but later submitted a compromise petition after reviewing the matter and communicating with the relevant parties.

However, state prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruqi opposed the bail petitions.

He said the complainant had submitted a compromise petition in court, but there was no legal scope for such an arrangement in a case of this nature.

"Once a case is filed, the investigating officer will submit an investigation report. Whether the accused should be granted bail and on what grounds is entirely within the court's jurisdiction," he said.

The prosecutor said the court granted Maksuda bail considering her age and illness but rejected Gazi Nazrul's application.

He also questioned the circumstances under which the complainant submitted the compromise petition, saying the parties were close relatives.

"We understood from the names on the affidavit that it may have been prepared under some form of pressure," he said, adding that the investigating officer would examine how and why the affidavit was prepared.

'No objection' to Nazrul's bail: What does the compromise say?

The complainant, SM Masum Billah, father of Mariam, submitted the compromise petition stating that he had no objection to bail being granted to Gazi Nazrul Islam and Maksuda Islam.

According to the petition, Mariam was married to Gazi Nazrul and lived with his first wife Maksuda as his second wife in what it described as a cordial family environment.

It said Mariam died by suicide at her residence in Dhaka sometime between around 3pm and 5:30pm on 20 September. Masum Billah said he learned about his daughter's death at around 6:30pm after receiving a phone call from Gazi Nazrul and going to the residence.

The petition said Masum initially filed the case under Section 306 of the Penal Code against Gazi Nazrul, Maksuda and another person out of suspicion because the incident occurred at Nazrul's residence.

However, it said he later learned through various sources that Mariam had not taken her own life because of any provocation by Nazrul or Maksuda, or because of anger or resentment arising from their actions.

The compromise was reached with the assistance of close relatives of both sides, with the stated aim of maintaining peace and preserving family ties, according to the petition.

Under its terms, Masum and his family would have no objection if Gazi Nazrul and Maksuda were granted bail. It also states that both sides would seek to maintain cordial family relations following their release.

The petition further says both parties would remain neutral regarding matters under trial and cooperate with the judicial process as required.

It states that the compromise was made voluntarily and consciously, without influence or coercion from anyone.

Case background

Police recovered the hanging body of Mariam from a flat at the NAM Bhaban complex opposite the Jatiya Sangsad in Dhaka on the evening of 20 September.

Later that night, police took Gazi Nazrul and Maksuda into custody. Mariam's father, Masum Billah, subsequently filed the case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, accusing Gazi Nazrul, Maksuda and Mariam's maternal uncle Obaidur Rahman of abetting suicide.

The following day, a court granted Gazi Nazrul four days' remand and Maksuda one day's remand following a petition by Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Sub-Inspector Md Shamsuzzoha Sarker.

The case was transferred to the Detective Branch of police that night.

After completing her remand, Maksuda was sent to jail on 22 September. Obaidur Rahman, who was arrested in the case, was also sent to jail on 23 September.

After completing his four-day remand, Gazi Nazrul was sent to another four days of remand on 24 September.