A Dhaka court on Wednesday granted bail to Maksuda Islam, the first wife of expelled Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam, in a case filed over the abetment of the suicide of his second wife, Mariyam Akter.
The court granted Maksuda bail after Mariyam’s father and case complainant, SM Masum Billah, submitted a settlement deed and said he had no objection to her release.
However, the court rejected Gazi Nazrul Islam’s bail petition.
The matter came up during a bail hearing before Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sefatullah.
According to the settlement deed, notarised on Tuesday, Masum Billah said Mariyam did not die by suicide due to any provocation or actions by Gazi Nazrul or Maksuda, or out of anger or resentment towards them.
The deed states that Masum Billah initially filed the case against Gazi Nazrul, Maksuda and Mariyam’s maternal uncle Obaidur Rahman on suspicion that they had abetted her suicide.
It says he later learned through various sources that Mariyam had not taken her own life because of any provocation or actions by Gazi Nazrul or Maksuda.
What the settlement deed says
Under the terms of the settlement, Masum Billah and his family will have no objection if Gazi Nazrul and Maksuda are granted bail in the case.
The deed also states that, after their release on bail, both sides will seek to maintain cordial family relations and cooperate as needed with the ongoing judicial proceedings.
The settlement concerns Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station Case No-16(9)26, filed under Section 306 of the Penal Code, 1860.
The deed was notarised by Notary Public ASM Hanif on Tuesday. Mariyam’s father, SM Masum Billah, signed it as the first party, while Md Abdul Hamid Morol signed as the second party.
Mariyam’s death
Police recovered Mariyam’s hanging body from Flat 203 of NAM Bhaban in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on September 20.
The door was locked from inside. With assistance from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), police broke open the door and recovered her body hanging from a ceiling fan. Several notes were also found in the room.
The following day, Masum Billah filed the case against Gazi Nazrul, Maksuda and Obaidur Rahman, accusing them of abetting Mariyam’s suicide.