Thirty-eight eminent citizens have expressed condemnation and outrage over the refusal to grant parole to Jewel Hasan Saddam, leader of the banned Bagerhat Sadar Upazila Chhatra League, following the deaths of his wife and nine-month-old son.
Saddam was reportedly only allowed to see the deceased at the prison gate for five minutes.
In a joint statement sent to the media on Monday, the citizens denounced the relevant authorities and the bureaucracy for what they called an “inhumane and cruel” act.
The statement said Saddam had a legal right to be granted parole to attend the funeral of his wife, Suborna Swarnali, and their infant child. However, bureaucratic indifference and the excuse of a weekly holiday prevented him from receiving that opportunity. Citing security concerns, the DSB issued a negative report, forcing the family to transport the bodies to the prison gate in a hearse. Saddam was able to see his wife and child for only five minutes.
The statement further noted that Saddam was not a death-row convict whose parole could pose significant security concerns. “Regardless of his political identity or any alleged crimes, denying parole under such circumstances is extreme, vindictive, and inhumane,” it said. The signatories also warned that officials of the caretaker government involved cannot evade responsibility for this act.
The citizens demanded a high-level, impartial investigation to identify the government officials responsible and called for strict punishment. They added that under a government that came to power pledging to eliminate injustice and impunity, such behavior remains merely “words on paper.”
The joint statement was signed by Sultana Kamal, Shirin Parvin Haque, Khushi Kabir, Dr Iftekharuzzaman (TIB), Rasheda KChowdhury, Adv ZI Khan Panna, photographer Dr Shahidul Alam, Barrister Sara Hossain, Shamsul Huda, Shaheen Anam, Dr. Shahnaz Huda, Md Nur Khan, Dr Samina Lutfa, Dr Sumaiya Khair, Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, Robayet Ferdous, Dr Zobaida Nasrin, Advocate Tabarak Hossain, Fostina Pereira, Advocate Minhajul Haque Chowdhury, Tasnim Siraj Mahbub, Dr. Firdous Azim, Pavel Partha, Advocate Salma Ali, RehenumaAhmed, Saidia Gulrukh, Ishita Dastidar, Saleh Ahmed, Parvez Hashem, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Zakir Hossain, Advocate Saidur Rahman, Saeed Ahmed, Dipayan Khisa, MainthinPromila, Abu Ahmed Faizul Kabir, Mabruk Mohammad, and Hana Shams Ahmed
Authorities recovered the bodies of Saddam’s wife and child on January 23. The family claimed the tragic incident was triggered by prolonged despair over Saddam not being granted release.
Meanwhile, the High Court on Monday granted six months’ bail to Saddam. His lawyer Saeed Ahmed Raja said the court granted bail on humanitarian grounds.
