Who gave DC the news about Saddam’s parole application

The Bagherhat District administration has confirmed that an application for the parole release of Saddam, a detained former student political leader, was submitted last Friday (23 January) but could not be processed due to legal restrictions.

According to the District Commissioner (DC), the written application was received at his residence on Friday, after which he immediately informed the prison authorities. However, the prison officials stated that Saddam, being incarcerated outside the district, is not eligible for parole under the 2016 Prison Act.

When the applicants were informed of this legal restriction, they expressed their understanding and left. No further communication regarding the parole request took place.

Saddam’s maternal uncle, Md. Hemayet Uddin, who is also the local Upazila president of the student league, elaborated: “On 23 January, a written request for parole was formally submitted to the District Commissioner of Bagherhat. The DC forwarded it to the district prison authorities, who clarified that they had no authority to grant parole. According to the law, any parole application must be submitted to the prison where the detainee is serving his sentence. With no other legal option, Saddam was allowed to view the bodies of his wife and child for just three minutes at Jashore Central Jail.”

This heartbreaking episode follows the deaths of Saddam’s wife, Kaniz Suborna Swarnali (22), and their nine-month-old infant, Nazim, whose bodies were discovered on Friday afternoon at their home in Saberdanga village, Bagherhat Sadar. Police reports suggest that Suborna, suffering from mental distress, killed her child before taking her own life. She was found hanging from a ceiling fan, while the infant was discovered on the floor.

Key Details:

Saddam, arrested from Gopalganj after the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August, is currently serving multiple sentences at Jashore Central Jail.

On Saturday night, following the funeral prayers, the bodies of Suborna and her infant were laid to rest side by side in Saberdanga village. Family members reported that Saddam was allowed only a brief five-minute window at the prison gate to see his deceased wife and child before the funeral arrangements proceeded.

An ambulance carrying the bodies reached Jashore Central Jail at around 7:00 pm, accompanied by 12 to 15 close relatives in two microbuses. After a brief stay inside the facility, the bodies were removed for burial.

This tragic incident highlights the immense legal and emotional complexities faced by families of incarcerated individuals, as well as the devastating consequences of mental health crises within such households.