Jewel Hasan Saddam, president of the banned organization’s student wing in Bagerhat Sadar, was granted bail by the High Court three days after the death of his wife and child. On Monday (January 26), he was granted six months’ bail on humanitarian grounds.
On Friday (January 23), police recovered the body of Saddam’s wife, Kaniz Surbana Swarnali, hanging at their home in Sabekdanga village, Bagerhat Sadar. Nearby lay the lifeless body of their nine-month-old child, Nazim.
On Saturday (January 24) evening, arrangements were made at the Jessore Central Jail for Saddam to see his wife and child one last time. According to authorities, six family members were allowed to enter the jail premises with the ambulance carrying the bodies, and Saddam was given about five minutes to view them.
Following criticism in various media outlets over the denial of parole after his wife and child’s death, the Ministry of Home Affairs clarified its position on Sunday (January 25). The statement said that no formal application for Saddam’s parole had been submitted to the Jessore Deputy Commissioner, District Magistrate, or Jessore Central Jail authorities by his family. Based on the family’s verbal request, the jail authorities had arranged for Saddam to see the bodies.
The ministry added that Jessore district administration and jail authorities provided maximum cooperation on humanitarian grounds. It also stated that reports claiming that a parole request had been made to the authorities were incorrect.
Saddam had been in custody at Jessore Central Jail since his arrest in Gopalganj on April 5 of last year.
