Jamaat Expels MP Gazi Nazrul Islam Over Moral Misconduct

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expelled Gazi Nazrul Islam, the Member of Parliament for Satkhira-4, following an organisational investigation into reports surrounding videos of what were described as his ‘private moments’ circulating on social media.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the party’s Central Executive Council on Wednesday afternoon, 22 July. The party cited ‘moral misconduct’ as the reason for his expulsion.

Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer, secretary of Jamaat’s Central Publicity and Media Department, communicated the decision in a statement issued to the media.

According to the statement, the emergency meeting began at 4pm at the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition on Minto Road in the capital. Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman chaired the meeting, which was attended by members of the party’s Central Executive Council.

The statement said the party had conducted an organisational investigation into media reports concerning Gazi Nazrul Islam. The investigation, it said, found evidence of moral misconduct. On that basis, the council decided to expel him from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami under Article 62 of the party’s constitution.

The council also decided to immediately inform the Bangladesh Election Commission of the expulsion.

The action follows the circulation of several videos on social media late on Monday night, in which Gazi Nazrul Islam appeared in close proximity to a young woman. The videos quickly generated discussion online and prompted speculation about their authenticity and the identity of the woman.

In the aftermath, several Jamaat activists and supporters claimed on social media that the footage had been created or manipulated using artificial intelligence technology. The claims, however, were followed by a statement from the MP himself.

On Tuesday afternoon, Gazi Nazrul Islam posted on his Facebook account that the woman seen in the videos was his second wife, Mariam Begum. He said their marriage had taken place on 17 June in Dhaka, at the residence of Mariam Begum’s father, Masum Billah. According to his account, the marriage was arranged within the family and was conducted with the consent of his first wife.

The disclosure shifted the focus of the controversy from questions over whether the videos were genuine to wider discussion about the MP’s personal circumstances and his responsibilities as a political representative and member of the party.

Jamaat’s decision to expel him came shortly after the controversy intensified. The party’s statement did not provide further details of the investigation or specify the particular conduct that it considered to constitute moral misconduct beyond referring to the media reports and the findings of its organisational inquiry.

The decision also carries political significance because Gazi Nazrul Islam represents the Satkhira-4 parliamentary constituency. By deciding to notify the Election Commission of his expulsion, the party has formally communicated that he is no longer a member of Jamaat-e-Islami, although the implications for his position as an elected MP will depend on the relevant constitutional and electoral provisions and any subsequent decisions by the competent authorities.

The expulsion marks a decisive response from Jamaat following a controversy that rapidly escalated from social media to the national political arena. It also places the MP’s political future under renewed scrutiny as questions emerge over his status following his removal from the organisation.