A tragic incident has been reported from Bagerhat, where a young woman allegedly killed her nine-month-old infant by drowning and later took her own life by hanging. The incident occurred in Sabekdanga village of Bagerhat Sadar upazila, with police recovering the bodies on Friday (January 23).
The deceased woman was identified as Kaniz Subarna Swarnali (22), wife of Bagerhat Sadar Upazila Chhatra League President Saddam. She was also the daughter of a local leader of the Jatiya Party. The deceased infant, Nazim Hossain, was the couple’s only child.
Police said Swarnali was found hanging inside her home, while the body of the infant was recovered from the floor of the room. Both bodies were sent to Bagerhat 250-bed District Hospital for post-mortem examinations.
According to family members, the couple got married about five years ago. Swarnali’s husband Saddam has been in jail for a long time in what the family claims are multiple false and politically motivated cases, despite having committed no crime.
Swarnali’s brother, Shubho, said prolonged mental stress and despair over her husband’s continued imprisonment without guilt had severely affected her mental health. “The uncertainty surrounding my brother-in-law’s release and repeated failed attempts to secure his freedom broke her mentally,” he said, adding that the family believes she acted out of extreme frustration and hopelessness.
Swarnali’s father, Ruhul Amin Hawladar, stated that the family is not accusing anyone at this stage and will accept whatever decision the authorities take after receiving the post-mortem reports.
Bagerhat Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Md. Shamim Hossain said police have visited the scene, collected preliminary statements from family members and locals, and that the exact cause of death will be determined after the autopsy. He added that no written complaint has been filed so far, but legal procedures are ongoing.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, a day after the incident, the bodies of Swarnali and her infant son were taken to the gate of Jessore Central Jail so that her husband Saddam could see them one last time. However, despite appeals on humanitarian grounds, he was not granted parole or temporary release.
The denial of parole to a father—who has not been convicted and is awaiting trial—to see the bodies of his wife and child has sparked outrage and widespread criticism. Human rights activists and local residents have termed the decision a “gross violation of humanitarian principles and fundamental human rights.”
Many have questioned how a person jailed without proven guilt could be denied even a final farewell to his wife and child, calling for an urgent review of custodial practices and humane treatment of undertrial prisoners.