Protests, effigy burning demand resignation of Jamat MP Gazi Nazrul in Satkhira

A protest march and demonstration rally were held in Shyamnagar following the viral circulation of a video on social media involving Gazi Nazrul Islam, a leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Member of Parliament for the Satkhira-4 constituency (Shyamnagar-part of Kaliganj). At the conclusion of the rally, demonstrators burned a symbolic effigy of the lawmaker and demanded his resignation.

The protest march commenced around 11:30am in Shyamnagar Upazila headquarters on Wednesday (July 22). After parading through the major thoroughfares of the upazila, the procession culminated in a protest rally in front of the Shyamnagar Press Club.

Local political and social leaders alongside public representatives addressed the gathering, including Solaiman Kabir, Advocate Ashek Elahi Munna, Gabura Union Parishad Chairman Masudul Rahman, Padmapukur Union Parishad Chairman Amjadul Islam, former Shyamnagar Sadar Union Chairman Liakat Ali, former Upazila Female Vice Chairman Nurjahan Parvin Jhorna, Professor Abu Sayed, and Shafiqul Islam Dulu.

Speakers noted that the video circulating on social media created widespread public questions and controversy. They highlighted inconsistency in statements regarding the incident, pointing out that while the clip was initially claimed to be generated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the woman in the video was later identified as the lawmaker's second wife.

The demonstrators demanded a neutral and transparent investigation into the matter, calling for the intervention of the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the National Parliament alongside demanding the resignation of MP Gazi Nazrul Islam. Protesters argued that a credible explanation is necessary to address public concerns, warning that the incident could otherwise exert a negative influence on the political sphere.

Addressing the controversy, Gazi Nazrul Islam claimed that the young woman featured in the social media video is his legally wedded second wife. He alleged that the incident is part of a calculated blackmail and extortion scheme, issuing a written statement detailing his position.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami announced that information regarding the incident is being gathered centrally and that the matter will be reviewed through internal organizational processes.