A jailed Bangladesh Chhatra League leader was allowed to see the bodies of his wife and nine-month-old child for the last time at Jashore Central Jail on Saturday evening, after the bodies were brought to the prison under tight security.
The man, Jewel Hasan Saddam, is currently in custody in several cases, jail authorities said.
According to jail officials, Saddam was briefly taken inside the prison to view the bodies. He touched his wife and held his child in his arms for the first and last time, as he was born while he was in jail.
The incident follows a tragic event in Bagerhat on Friday afternoon.
Saddam’s wife, Kaniz Subarna Swarnali, and their nine-month-old child were found dead at their residence in Sabekdanga village of Bagerhat sadar upazila.
Family members said Swarnali had been under severe mental stress due to her husband’s prolonged detention. They said she had made repeated efforts to secure his release but saw no progress, which left her deeply depressed.
“In a state of extreme despair, Swarnali killed her infant child and later took her own life,” relatives claimed.
Following the incident, police recovered the bodies and later sent them to Jashore Central Jail so that the jailed husband could see them once.
Relatives also said that while in jail, Saddam would occasionally send notes to his wife, assuring her of his imminent release, which further added to her emotional strain.
Jashore Central Jail Superintendent Abid Ahmed said Saddam was transferred to the jail on December 15 and has been detained there since in multiple cases.
“Following the final viewing, Saddam was returned to his ward,” he said.