Grief Overshadows Bail for Bereaved Student Leader

The High Court has granted six months of interim bail to Jewel Hassan (alias Saddam), the former president of the Bagerhat Sadar Upazila Chhatra League. However, the judicial breakthrough has sparked no celebration at his family home in the village of Sabekdanga. For Saddam’s relatives, the legal reprieve arrives as a hollow victory, coming just days after the tragic deaths of his young wife and infant son while he remained behind bars.

Judicial Order Follows National Outcry

On Monday, 26 January 2026, a High Court bench comprising Justice JB M Hassan and Justice Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan issued the bail order. Saddam, who is currently held in Jashore Central Jail, had been facing charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Having previously secured bail in six other cases, this final court order paves the way for his release from custody.

The legal move follows a weekend of intense public scrutiny after images surfaced of Saddam being allowed only a few moments at the prison gates to bid farewell to the coffins of his family.

Chronology of Events: Jewel Hassan Case

“A Home of Graves”

The atmosphere at the family residence remains despondent. Saddam’s mother, Delowara Ekram, spoke of the bittersweet nature of the news. “What is there to say? We pleaded for his release when they were alive, but it didn’t happen,” she told reporters. “Now that he is finally coming home, he will be greeted only by the graves of his wife and son. What is the value of this freedom now?”

The tragedy began last Friday when the bodies of Kaniz Suborna Swarnali (22) and their nine-month-old son, Sejad Hassan Najif, were found at their residence. Despite desperate pleas from the family for a temporary “parole” release so Saddam could attend the funeral and lead the prayers, the administration denied the request, citing security concerns.

Humanitarian Criticism

The state’s refusal to grant parole has been described as “inhumane” by human rights activists and family members alike. Saddam’s father-in-law, National Party leader Ruhul Amin Howlader, questioned the state’s compassion. “We sought parole on the most basic human grounds. The refusal to grant it was a failure of the state’s moral duty,” he remarked.

Saddam’s brother-in-law, Shahnewaz Amin, was even more cynical, describing the sudden bail as “theatrical” following the irreparable loss the family has already suffered. While Jewel Hassan is expected to be released shortly, his return to Bagerhat will be a sombre one, as he faces the reality of a home left empty during his period of incarceration.