Gazi Nazrul Islam's first wife granted bail in suicide case

A court in Dhaka has granted bail to Maksuda Islam, the first wife of Satkhira-4 Member of Parliament Gazi Nazrul Islam, in a case involving the alleged abetment of suicide of Nazrul’s second wife, Mariam Khatun.

The legal proceedings took a turn after the victim’s father, SM Masum Billah, filed a settlement agreement (aposhnama) in court. Billah stated that the initial criminal complaint filed at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station was made out of suspicion. Following family inquiries, the complainant asserted that neither Gazi Nazrul Islam nor Maksuda Islam had provoked Mariam Khatun to take her own life.

The settlement agreement specifies that the families intend to maintain their relationship and will cooperate with the ongoing judicial process. While the judge granted bail to Maksuda Islam, the bail application for the primary accused, Gazi Nazrul Islam, was rejected, and he was ordered to be sent to prison.

Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruqi opposed the settlement in court, questioning its legal validity. He argued that in serious criminal matters such as abetment to suicide, a complainant cannot simply withdraw through a settlement while an investigation is active, suggesting the agreement might have been prepared under pressure.