Published : 21 Sep 2026, 03:57 PM
Updated : 21 Sep 2026, 04:08 PM
Police have been granted four days to question lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam in custody in a case over the alleged abetment of his second wife Mariam Khatun’s suicide. His first wife, Maksuda Begum, has been remanded for one day in the case.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ehsanul Islam passed the order following a hearing on Monday afternoon, according to Sub-Inspector Rafiqul Islam of the prosecution division.
The case’s investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Shamsuzzoha Sarker of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, had sought seven days to question both suspects.
Police brought Nazrul and Maksuda to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court around 2:22pm and held them in the court lock-up before the hearing.
They were later produced before the magistrate.
Five Grounds for Remand
Investigators cited five grounds for seeking the remand.
Police said Nazrul, a former Jamaat-e-Islami leader, and Maksuda were at home when Mariam died and investigators needed to determine whether they had played any role in abetting her suicide.
They also want to establish whether Mariam was subjected to incitement, psychological pressure, intimidation or other actions that may have driven her to take her own life.
Investigators said questioning the two was also necessary to establish the role of fugitive suspect Obaidur Rahman, locate and arrest him, and determine whether any unidentified suspects were involved.
Police cited uncovering the circumstances surrounding the case as the fifth ground.
Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi argued in favour of the remand request.
Defence lawyer Mahbubur Rahman opposed the application and sought bail for Nazrul and Maksuda.
Mariam’s Death
Police recovered the hanging body of 19-year-old Mariam from a flat at NAM Bhaban opposite the parliament complex on Sunday evening.
Nazrul and Maksuda were taken into custody later that night.
Mariam’s father, SM Masum Billah, subsequently filed a case accusing Nazrul, Maksuda and Mariam’s maternal uncle Obaidur Rahman of abetting her suicide.
Nazrul and Maksuda were formally arrested in the case before being taken from Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station to court on Monday.
Nazrul and Mariam’s relationship became public in July after a video showing them together at a hotel in Dhaka’s Moghbazar spread on Facebook.
Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists initially claimed the footage had been generated using AI.
Nazrul later acknowledged Mariam as his second wife in a Facebook post.
Jamaat decided to expel Nazrul on Jul 22, saying an internal investigation had established “moral misconduct” on his part.
The opposition party later informed the speaker and the Election Commission of the decision.
