In a heart-wrenching scene at the Jessore Central Jail gate on Saturday evening, Jewel Hasan Saddam, the president of the now-banned Bagerhat Sadar Upazila Chhatra League, was granted just five minutes to view the bodies of his wife and nine-month-old son.
Despite the tragic circumstances, authorities denied his plea for parole, allowing him only a brief glimpse of his deceased family members through an ambulance window.
A Brief Final Glimpse
Around 7:30 PM, an ambulance carrying the bodies of Kaniz Suborna Swornali (22) and her infant son, Nazim, arrived at the prison entrance. Under heavy security and strict supervision, jail authorities permitted six family members to accompany the ambulance inside the gate area.
Jewel Hasan Saddam, who has been in custody since his arrest in Gopalganj following the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, was brought to the gate to see his loved ones for the last time. The emotional encounter lasted barely five minutes before the bodies were taken away for burial.
A Family Torn by Depression
The tragedy unfolded on Friday afternoon in Sabekdanga village of Bagerhat Sadar Upazila. Police recovered the hanging body of Swornali from her room, while her nine-month-old son, Nazim, was found lifeless on the floor nearby.
According to family members and local police, Swornali had been battling severe depression and loneliness following her husband’s imprisonment.
“She loved her husband dearly and had been struggling for a long time to secure his bail,” said her brother, Shuvo. “When bail was repeatedly denied, she became mentally distressed. In her despair, it appears she took the life of her child before taking her own.”
Denied Parole Sparks Criticism
The denial of Jewel Hasan Saddam’s parole has drawn sharp criticism from his relatives, who argued that the decision lacked “humanitarian consideration.”
Sagar Farazi, Saddam’s cousin, expressed his frustration to the media: “He is not an accused in a murder case; these are political charges. We applied for parole so he could attend the funeral and prayers, but the administration rejected it. To treat someone this way in such a moment of grief is inhumane.”
Saddam’s sister-in-law was also seen grieving at the jail gate, questioning why he wasn’t allowed even a few hours of freedom to perform the last rites for his wife and child.
Prison Authorities’ Stance
Addressing the situation, Jessore Central Jail’s Jailer, Abid Ahmed, stated that while parole was not granted by the higher administration, the prison staff facilitated the meeting on humanitarian grounds. “When family members bring a deceased relative to the jail gate, we generally allow the inmate to see them as a gesture of humanity, even without formal prior permission for parole,” he explained.
The bodies were later transported to Bagerhat for burial following the brief meeting. Police are awaiting the full autopsy report to officially confirm the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
