Zinat Sanu Swagata's personal life has often made headlines- from her contentious divorce to her second marriage to Dr Hasan Azad. Recently, at an event, she revealed to local media that she and her husband Azad were in a live-in relationship prior to getting married. 

Many have criticised Swagata following her statement. Now, she might be facing legal problems as a lawyer has asked her to withdraw her statement and issue a public apology within seven days. However, Swagata stated that she has not yet received any notice. If she does, she will handle the matter legally.

Three years after her divorce, Swagata chose to formalise her relationship by getting married this January. To ensure she was making the right decision, she and her partner decided to live together before the wedding, with her family's support. Reflecting on societal changes, Swagata said, "Society is progressing. Divorce is being accepted, and live-in relationships will also become normal in time."

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

A legal notice has been sent against Swagata's statement. Yesterday, Supreme Court lawyer Muhammad Mesbah Uddin Chowdhury issued the notice on behalf of a man named Ariful Khabir. The notice states that in Islam, cohabitation or living together before marriage is strictly forbidden (haram). It claims that Swagata's statement promotes live-in relationships, which severely hurts the religious sentiments of Muslims.

Addressing the issue, Swagata explained, "I wanted to get to know the person I planned to marry. What's wrong with that? Two consenting adults chose to live together – how is that a mistake? My first marriage failed, and I was left with fears and doubts about marriage. What if I had to face the same abuse again? What if history repeated itself? That's why we decided to understand each other better before committing to marriage."

Swagata added, "Earlier, husbands were solely responsible for the household. Now, however, both partners share that responsibility. While there used to be conflict in families, divorce was uncommon. Women endured all kinds of abuse silently. But now, divorce is becoming more common, and society is gradually accepting it. Love marriages, which were once frowned upon, are now widely accepted, with many families supporting them. From this viewpoint, I believe that live-in relationships will eventually be seen as normal."

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Before her divorce, Swagata had been married to Rashed Zaman for seven years until their eventual separation. The actress has stated that she faced both mental and physical abuse including insults to her parents, which ultimately led to their divorce. 

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'Being a celebrity, I've endured domestic violence and insults to my parents': Swagata

Later on, the actress found love again with beau Dr Hasan Azad with whom she decided to get married on January 24, amidst the presence of loved ones at Gausul Azam Jame Masjid.