Family reaches settlement with MP Gazi Nazrul in Mariam suicide abetment case

The family of Mariam Khatun, the second wife of Satkhira-4 MP Gazi Nazrul Islam, has reached a settlement with the lawmaker in the case filed over her alleged suicide abetment.

The development was disclosed during a bail hearing for Gazi Nazrul and his first wife, Maksuda Islam, before Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sefatullah on Wednesday (September 30).

Mariam’s father and case complainant, SM Masum Billah, told the court that he had no objection to the accused being granted bail following the settlement.

Gazi Nazrul was sent to jail on Monday after completing two rounds of remand totalling eight days. During the hearing, the investigating officer told the court that police had gathered information indicating that Nazrul lived in the bedroom of their NAM Bhaban flat with Maksuda, while Mariam sometimes had to spend the night on the adjacent balcony.

Police also said their investigation had found information suggesting that Mariam had been subjected to physical and mental abuse.

Mariam, 19, was found hanging inside Flat 203 of NAM Bhaban in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on September 20. The door was reportedly locked from inside. With assistance from the Criminal Investigation Department, police broke open the door and recovered her body from a ceiling fan. Several notes were also recovered from the room.

The following day, her father filed the case against Gazi Nazrul, Maksuda and Mariam’s maternal uncle Obaidur Rahman, accusing them of abetting her suicide. Nazrul and Maksuda were arrested that night.

The case is being investigated by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.