Prisoner Denied Parole After Family Tragedy

On Friday afternoon, following the Jumu’ah prayers, residents of Sabekdanga village in Bagerhat Sadar were confronted with a shocking tragedy. Word quickly spread that a young mother and her nine-month-old child had been found dead in their home.

Local reports indicate that 22-year-old Kaniz Subarna, also known as Swarnali, was discovered hanging from a ceiling beam inside her husband’s house. Nearby, the lifeless body of her infant son, Sejad Hasan (Nazif), was found submerged in a bucket of water in the bathroom. Family members and neighbours, hoping to save the child, rushed him to Bagerhat District Hospital. However, emergency doctors, led by Dr. Sakiya Haque, confirmed the infant had already died upon arrival.

Dr. Haque explained, “The child was brought in the afternoon. We always attempt rescue breathing on water-related incidents, but it was unclear whether the child had fallen accidentally or been placed deliberately. Despite approximately 45 minutes of effort, we were unable to revive him.”

Police from Bagerhat Sadar Model Thana arrived at the scene to recover Kaniz’s body and sent it to the hospital morgue. Kaniz was married to Juel Hasan, alias Saddam, president of the banned Bagerhat Sadar unit of Chhatra League, who is currently incarcerated at Jashore Central Jail.

Mental State and Family Claims

Initial accounts from relatives suggested Kaniz had been suffering severe emotional distress over her husband’s continued imprisonment. It was suspected that this may have led her to commit filicide followed by suicide. However, Kaniz’s brother, Shah Nawaz Amin, claimed, “My sister was murdered. There are significant gaps in the information circulating. No one was present at the house when the incident occurred.”

Her father, Md. Ruhul Amin, vice-chairman of the District Jatiya Party, filed a murder case on Saturday. “I found my daughter hanging. Later, I learned my grandson had also died. My daughter could have taken her own life, but how did the baby die? I demand the police investigate thoroughly,” he said.

Saddam’s younger brother, Shahidul Islam, described the family dynamics. He noted that while initial tensions existed between the two families, the marriage was eventually accepted. Over the past two months, however, visits between the families had dwindled. Shahidul added, “My sister-in-law loved her husband deeply. Being unable to secure his release devastated her. She was given small amounts of money, but the next day sent it back. Soon after, the tragedy occurred.” Saddam faces 11 cases in total, with his family claiming they are politically motivated.

Final Meeting at the Jail

Kaniz and her child were brought in a mortuary van to Jashore Central Jail so Saddam could see them for the last time. He was granted less than five minutes with the bodies. Shahidul recounted, “He couldn’t hold his child alive, and after death, he reflected, ‘I failed as a father and husband. Forgive me.’”

Following the incident, social media circulated a letter allegedly written by Saddam to his wife, expressing regret at being unable to hold his child. Despite widespread discussion regarding his parole, the Bagerhat District Administration confirmed no formal application had been submitted.

Parole and Legal Context

Saddam was arrested in April 2025 from Gopalganj and is currently in Jashore Central Jail under 11 cases—two with formal charges and nine as a suspect. His family attempted to secure parole for him, but legal constraints prevented release, as he was incarcerated outside Bagerhat.

Assistant Inspector General of Prisons, Jannatul Farhad, clarified, “Parole decisions are under the district magistrate. The Department of Prisons only implements these orders. If the allotted parole time expires, the prisoner is returned to custody.”

Bagerhat officials noted that humane arrangements were made for the family to view the deceased at Karafotk, following verbal requests, but no formal parole request was filed to Jashore authorities. The police have registered a case under unidentified suspects, and the final investigation will proceed once the post-mortem reports are complete.