A Dhaka court on Monday granted four days’ remand for former Satkhira-4 lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam and one day for his first wife, Maksuda Islam, in a case filed over the alleged abetment of suicide of his second wife, Mariam Khatun, at the NAM Bhaban.

Police from Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station produced the accused before the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

Sub-Inspector Shamsuzzoha Sarker, the investigating officer in the case, sought seven days’ remand for the accused in the interest of a proper investigation.

After a hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ehsanul Islam granted four days’ remand for Gazi and one day for Maksuda.

Gazi was brought to the courtroom under tight security at 3:11pm, wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet.

Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Farukee argued in favour of the remand, while defence lawyer Mahbubur Rahman sought bail for the accused and opposed the remand plea.

The investigating officer cited five reasons for seeking remand: determining whether the accused had a direct role in Mariam’s suicide, as they were staying in the same apartment at the time; establishing their role in allegedly subjecting her to mental pressure, provocation, threats or instigation; gathering information to locate and arrest fugitive accused Obaidur Rahman; investigating whether any other unidentified individuals were involved; and uncovering the full circumstances of the incident.

On Sunday, police recovered Mariam’s hanging body from flat 203 of Building 5 of the NAM Bhaban near Manik Mia Avenue under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station.

Police broke open the door and found her body with a scarf wrapped around the ceiling fan. They also seized a suicide note from the bed.

Following the incident, Mariam’s father, Md Masum Billah, filed a case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station accusing three people of abetting her suicide. 

Gazi, Maksuda and Gazi’s brother-in-law Obaidur Rahman were named as accused.

According to the first information report, Mariam married Gazi under Shariah law in June. The FIR alleged that Gazi and Maksuda subjected Mariam to physical and mental abuse after the marriage. Mariam reportedly told her family about the alleged abuse repeatedly over the phone.

The FIR claimed that Mariam took her own life because she could no longer endure the alleged continued instigation and abuse by the accused.

In July, a private video of Gazi and Mariam was circulated on social media, triggering widespread criticism.

Following allegations of unethical conduct, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami expelled Gazi from the party on July 22 under Article 62 of its constitution and informed the Election Commission of the decision.

Following the circulation of the video, Mariam’s maternal uncle, Obaidul Islam, who was then a driver, filed a case with Pallabi police station accusing Gazi of assault and attempted murder by strangulation. Gazi was granted eight weeks’ bail by the High Court in that case.

It later emerged that Obaidul had played a key role in arranging Mariam’s marriage to Gazi. He is now a fugitive accused in the suicide case.