First Wife Provides ‘Important Information’ During Remand in Mariam Death Case

Maksudha Islam, the first wife of Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam, was presented before a Dhaka court on Tuesday (September 22) after completing a one-day remand in a case filed over the alleged incitement to suicide of his second wife, Mariam Khatun.

The investigation officer, Inspector Mohammad Salahuddin, sought an order to keep Maksudha in jail after her remand ended. In the application, he told the court that questioning the accused had yielded important information related to the case, which could assist further investigation.

The case has also been handed over to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) for further investigation. The development means investigators will now examine the statements of the accused along with other evidence and circumstances surrounding Mariam’s death.

Police recovered Mariam Khatun’s hanging body from a flat at the NAM Bhaban, opposite the Parliament complex, on Sunday evening (September 20). Later that night, Gazi Nazrul Islam and his first wife Maksudha Islam were taken into police custody.

Mariam’s father, S M Masum Billah, subsequently filed a case at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, accusing Gazi Nazrul Islam, Maksudha Islam and Mariam’s maternal uncle Obaidur Rahman of allegedly inciting her to take her own life.

According to the allegations made by Mariam’s father, she had informed family members about alleged physical and mental abuse after her marriage. He alleged that the accused were responsible for putting his daughter under pressure. The allegations, however, remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.

On Monday (September 21), Gazi Nazrul Islam and Maksudha Islam were produced before the court after being shown arrested in the case. Police sought seven days of remand for each of them.

After hearing the remand petition, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ehsanul Islam granted four days of remand for Gazi Nazrul Islam and one day for Maksudha Islam.

Following Maksudha’s questioning, the investigation officer informed the court that important information had been obtained. Investigators are expected to verify the information and examine whether it is consistent with other evidence collected in the case.

Gazi Nazrul Islam, meanwhile, has denied the allegations against himself and his first wife. He reportedly claimed that the accusations were false and that they were not at the residence when the incident occurred.

The investigation will now focus on establishing the circumstances surrounding Mariam’s death, what happened before the incident and whether the allegations made in the case are supported by evidence.