A Dhaka court has rejected the bail application of Gazi Nazrul Islam, a lawmaker from Satkhira-4, in a case filed over allegations that he abetted the suicide of his second wife, Moriam Islam.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ariful Islam passed the order on Wednesday after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence. Gazi Nazrul Islam, who is currently in custody, was not brought before the court during the bail hearing.
His lawyer, Mahbubur Rahman, applied for bail on his behalf and argued in favour of his release. The prosecution, represented by lawyer Harun-or-Rashid, opposed the application and urged the court to keep the accused in custody.
After considering the arguments, the magistrate rejected the bail plea. In explaining the decision, the court referred to the circumstances surrounding Moriam’s death, including the age difference between the accused and the deceased and the fact that she died by suicide while in his custody.
The court observed that although Gazi Nazrul Islam is elderly, the victim was very young. It also said that granting bail in the circumstances could create an adverse reaction in society. On those grounds, the court ordered that his application for bail be refused.
The case stems from the death of Moriam Islam on 20 September. Police recovered her hanging body from a flat at the National Assembly Members’ Hostel, commonly known as the NAM Bhaban, opposite the Parliament complex in Dhaka, on the evening of that day.
Later that night, police took Gazi Nazrul Islam and his first wife, Maksuda, into custody. The incident subsequently led to a case alleging abetment of suicide.
Moriam’s father, S M Masum Billah, filed the case that same night. Three people were named as accused: Gazi Nazrul Islam, his first wife Maksuda and Moriam’s maternal uncle Obaidur Rahman.
All three accused were arrested and subsequently taken into remand for questioning as part of the investigation. Maksuda was later granted bail by the court. Gazi Nazrul Islam and Obaidur Rahman, however, remain in custody.
The latest court order concerns only the question of bail and does not determine the final outcome of the case. The allegations against the accused will have to be examined through the ongoing legal process, while the circumstances surrounding Moriam’s death remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.
