Jewel Hasan Saddam, the Bagerhat Sadar Upazila President of the banned Chhatra League, has been granted six-month bail by the High Court on humanitarian grounds, three days after the death of his wife and newborn child. He was released on bail on Monday (January 26) by a court order.
Last Friday, the police recovered the hanging body of Saddam’s wife Kanij Suborna Swarnali from her house in Bekhedanga village in Bagerhat Sadar upazila. The frozen body of their 9-month-old son Nazim was found in the same room. The incident sparked deep shock and discussion across the country.
The following Saturday evening, Saddam was allowed to view the bodies of his wife and child for a few minutes under the supervision of prison authorities at the gate of Jessore Central Jail. Six family members were allowed to enter the prison gate along with the ambulance carrying the body, authorities said.
Meanwhile, after criticism over the non-parole, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement that Saddam’s family had not made any written request for parole to the district administration or prison authorities. Arrangements were made to show the body based on the family’s verbal request. The statement also mentioned that the administration had provided maximum cooperation out of humanitarian considerations.
It is worth noting that Saddam had been incarcerated in Jessore Central Jail since his arrest from Gopalganj on April 5 last year. This recent bail marks a new turn in a chapter that has been marred by personal tragedy and legal complications.