An attempted murder case has been filed against expelled Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam and four others over allegations that they assaulted his personal driver after suspecting him of leaking videos showing the MP in private moments.
The case was filed with Pallabi Police Station in Dhaka on July 21 by Obaidur Rahman, who worked as Gazi Nazrul's personal driver. Obaidur is also the maternal uncle of the woman whom the MP has publicly identified as his second wife.
Besides Gazi Nazrul, the other accused are Aminur Rahman, Masum Billah, Mostasim Billah and Rakibul Hasan.
According to the complaint, Obaidur alleged that he was assaulted after protesting what he described as the MP's "illicit relationship" and because Gazi Nazrul suspected him of being involved in the circulation of videos showing the lawmaker in private moments.
Police have arrested Aminur Rahman in connection with the case.
Investigating officer SI Rakibul Huda of Pallabi Police Station produced Aminur before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka on Wednesday, seeking to keep him in custody until the investigation is completed.
Metropolitan Magistrate Kamal Uddin ordered Aminur to be sent to jail and directed investigators to submit their report by August 28.
According to the first information report (FIR), Obaidur had been living with his sister's family in the Kalshi area of Pallabi and worked as Gazi Nazrul's personal driver. Owing to family ties, he frequently visited the MP's residence.
The complaint alleges that Gazi Nazrul developed an inappropriate relationship with Obaidur's niece. After learning about the matter, Obaidur informed his family and urged the MP to end the relationship, after which he allegedly received death threats.
The FIR further states that a group in Dhaka's Moghbazar later obtained videos showing the MP and the woman together and allegedly attempted to blackmail him. Gazi Nazrul allegedly suspected Obaidur of secretly recording and leaking the videos to the media and the group.
According to the complaint, on July 14, Aminur allegedly lured Obaidur into a drawing room, where he and the other accused beat him with sticks. The complainant alleged that Aminur later tried to strangle him before family members intervened, prompting the attackers to flee. Obaidur later received treatment at Kurmitola General Hospital.
Gazi Nazrul was elected from the Satkhira-4 constituency as a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate.
Videos showing the MP with the woman circulated on social media earlier this week. Initially, many Jamaat leaders and activists claimed the footage had been generated using artificial intelligence (AI). However, Gazi Nazrul later said in a Facebook post that the woman, Mariyam Begum, is his second wife and that they were married on June 17 with the consent of his first wife.
On Wednesday, Jamaat-e-Islami expelled Gazi Nazrul from the party after an internal investigation found him guilty of what it described as "moral misconduct." The party also said it would inform the Election Commission of the decision.
