A case has been filed against Satkhira-4 lawmaker GM Nazrul Islam, his first wife Maksuda Islam and driver Obaidur Rahman on charges of abetment of suicide of Nazrul’s second wife, Mariam, whose hanging body was recovered from a flat of NAM Bhaban in the capital.

Mariam’s father, SM Masum Billah, filed the case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station on Monday (21 September). However, police also arrested Nazrul and Maksuda in the case.

According to the case statement, Mariam married GM Nazrul Islam under Islamic law in June. As Nazrul was a lawmaker, they lived at Flat 203 on the third floor of Building 5 of the NAM Bhaban complex opposite Manik Mia Avenue under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station where Nazrul’s first wife, Maksuda Islam, also lived at the same residence.

Mariam’s father alleged that Nazrul and Maksuda had subjected his daughter to physical and mental abuse over various issues since her marriage which Mariam had informed her family members over the phone on several occasions.

The complainant said Nazrul called him around 5:30pm on 20 September and asked him to come to the residence immediately. He then went there with his sister-in-law Sufia and found several people gathered at the residence.

According to the statement, Mariam was found hanging from a ceiling fan inside a room, whose door was locked from the inside. In the presence of police, Saiful Islam, a temporary plumber employed by the Public Works Department, broke open the door with a crowbar and they found Mariam’s body hanging from the fan, it said.

The complainant further said a handwritten note was found on Mariam’s bed contained references to betrayal, emotional distress and problems in her relationship.

Police later went to the scene, prepared an inquest report and sent the body to the morgue, the statement said adding that the complainant learnt from people present at the scene that Mariam had allegedly died by suicide sometime between 3:00pm and 5:30pm on 20 September.

The case statement also alleged that driver Obaidur Rahman had directly encouraged the marriage between Mariam and Nazrul and claimed that Mariam took her own life after being subjected to abuse by Nazrul and Maksuda and due to the accused persons’ alleged instigation.