MP Gazi Nazrul denied bail despite settlement claim

A Dhaka court rejected the bail petition of lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam in a case filed over the alleged abetment of suicide of his second wife, Mariam Khatun, despite the defence claiming that the case had been settled with the complainant.

Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam of Dhaka passed the order on Wednesday (October 7) after hearing arguments from both sides.

Nazrul’s lawyer, Mahabubur Rahman, sought bail before the court, saying the accused had reached a settlement with the complainant, S M Masum Billah, father of Mariam Khatun.

He also claimed that the complainant had no objection to Nazrul being granted bail.

After hearing both sides, however, the court rejected the bail petition, meaning Nazrul will remain in custody while the investigation continues.

Earlier on September 30, the court had granted bail to Nazrul’s first wife, Maksuda Islam, in the same case but rejected Nazrul’s bail petition.

According to the case documents, police recovered Mariam Khatun’s hanging body from a flat at the NAM Bhaban area opposite the Parliament complex in Dhaka on the evening of September 20. The following day, her father filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station accusing the defendants of abetting her suicide.

Gazi Nazrul Islam, his first wife Maksuda Islam and Mariam’s maternal uncle Obaidur Rahman were named as accused in the case.

Following the filing of the case, a court granted Nazrul four days’ remand and Maksuda one day’s remand. The investigation was later transferred to the Detective Branch of police.

Nazrul was subsequently placed on a second round of remand for further questioning. After completing a total of eight days in custody over two rounds of remand, the court sent him to jail on September 28.

Obaidur Rahman, another accused in the case, has also been arrested. He was sent to jail on Monday after questioning in remand. His bail petition is also scheduled to be heard by the court.

The case is currently being investigated by the Detective Branch.