Authorities explain why Saddam was shown wife, child's bodies at jail gate

Prison authorities have issued an explanation for why the imprisoned Jewel Hassan Saddam, president of the Bagerhat Sadar Upazila Chhatra League, was allowed to see the bodies of his wife and infant child at the jail gate instead of being released on parole to attend their funeral.

On Sunday, the media cell of the Department of Prisons provided a copy of the Jashore deputy commissioner's letter aimed at refuting the "misinformation" circulating on social media regarding the issue and presenting the actual facts to the public.

The district administration said no formal application for parole was submitted by the family of Saddam, who was transferred to Jashore Central Jail from Bagerhat Jail on Dec 15 last year, following the deaths of Saddam's wife and 9-month-old child.

Meanwhile, the Department of Prisons said it had not authority to take any action related to parole release, adding that the power to do so lies with the district magistrate. "The prison authorities only implement it.”

Saddam has been held in district jail after being arrested in connection with a case linked to the July 2024 mass uprising.

On Friday, police recovered the bodies of his wife, Subarna Swarnali, and their infant son from the village of Sabekdanga in Karapara Union of Bagerhat Sadar Upazila.

Police said Subarna was found hanging from a ceiling fan with a rope, while the child was found lying on the floor.

On Saturday, the bodies of Saddam’s wife and child were taken to Jashore Central Jail. Jail Superintendent Abid Ahmed said Saddam was allowed to see and touch the bodies at the jail gate for the last time, after which he was returned to custody.

The decision not to grant Saddam parole to attend the funeral prayers and burial of his wife and child sparked criticism on social media, prompting the prison authorities to issue the explanation.

"In the case of the death of the wife and child of a prisoner named Jewel Hassan Saddam, who was transferred to Jashore Central Jail from Bagerhat Jail on the 15th of December last year, the family has not made any application for parole to the learned district magistrate or Jashore Central Jail authorities."

The letter, quoting the family's statements in various media outlets, goes on to say: "Due to time constraints and a family decision, they chose not to apply for parole and instead opted to show the bodies at the jail gate.”

The district administration also said photographs circulating on Facebook showing Saddam's wife receiving written letters or images of the detainee viewing photographs while in custody were not related to Jashore Central Jail.

It also dismissed claims that parole was denied despite an application having been submitted.

"No application for release on parole was made to the Jashore district magistrate. Rather, in view of the family's verbal application, the prison authorities spoke to higher authorities and arranged for the bodies to be displayed at the prison gate for humanitarian reasons."

Meanwhile, expatriate journalist Zulkarnain Saer posted on his Facebook page a letter written by Bagerhat District Commissioner Hemayet Uddin, who is Saddam's maternal uncle.

"Some groups devoid of humanity are propagandising on social media that no application had been made by the family of the imprisoned Jewel Hossain Saddam to participate in the funeral prayers and burial of his wife and children,” Hemayet wrote.

Saddam's family rushed from the Bagerhat district administration to the Jashore district magistrate's office with this parole application, but no one took any firm action to help them under the pretext of bureaucracy and the weekend holidays, he added.

"Rather, the local police's Special Branch reported that allowing Saddam to attend could worsen the law-and-order situation. Fearing that thousands of people might gather in response, the district administration was informed not to view the application positively. I condemn everyone involved, shame on you," he said.