A Dhaka court has rejected the bail application of Gazi Nazrul Islam, the Member of Parliament for Satkhira-4, in a case concerning the alleged abetment of the suicide of his second wife, Moriam Islam.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ariful Islam passed the order on Wednesday after hearing submissions from both the defence and the prosecution. Gazi Nazrul, who is currently in custody, was not produced before the court for the bail hearing.
His lawyer, Mahbubur Rahman, submitted the bail petition and argued for his release. The prosecution opposed the application. State counsel Harun-or-Rashid later confirmed the court’s decision.
In rejecting the bail plea, the court referred to the circumstances surrounding Moriam’s death. The magistrate observed that Gazi Nazrul is an elderly man, while the deceased woman was very young. The court also noted that Moriam died by suicide while she was in the accused’s custody.
The court said that releasing the accused on bail at this stage could have an adverse impact on society. After considering the arguments presented by both sides, the magistrate therefore ordered that the bail application be rejected.
The case follows the death of Moriam Islam on 20 September. Police recovered her hanging body from a flat at the National Assembly Members’ Hostel, known as the NAM Bhaban, located opposite the Parliament complex in Dhaka. The body was recovered in the evening, after which police took Gazi Nazrul Islam and his first wife, Maksuda, into custody later that night.
Moriam’s father, S M Masum Billah, filed a case that same night, alleging that his daughter had been driven to suicide. Gazi Nazrul Islam, his first wife Maksuda and Moriam’s maternal uncle Obaidur Rahman were named as accused.
Following the filing of the case, all three accused were arrested and taken into remand for questioning. Maksuda was subsequently granted bail. Gazi Nazrul Islam and Obaidur Rahman remain in custody.
The latest ruling means that Gazi Nazrul will remain behind bars while the case proceeds through the legal process. The court’s decision at this stage concerns his request for bail and does not amount to a finding of guilt.
The allegations made in the case will be examined through the investigation and subsequent judicial proceedings. The circumstances surrounding Moriam’s death, including the events leading up to it and the roles allegedly played by those named in the case, remain matters for the relevant authorities and the court to determine.
