Custody of 2 Japanese children will stay with mother, other with father: HC

The High Court (HC) Tuesday delivered a verdict over the custody of two Japanese children Nakano Jasmine Malika and Nakano Laila Lina.

According to the verdict, Jasmine Malika will live with her mother Eriko Nakano, a 46-year-old Japanese citizen, and Laila Lina with her father, Imran Sharif, 58, a US citizen of Bangladeshi origin.

Besides, their younger daughter Sonia will also stay with her mother.

According to the HC judgment, Eriko Nakano can live in Bangladesh or any other country with her first and third daughter. However, their father Imran Sharif will get a chance to meet his daughters. Similarly, second daughter Laila Lina will live with her father and her mother will get the chance to see her second daughter.

A single High Court bench of Justice Mamnun Rahman passed the order on Tuesday by partially approving the appeal.

Senior lawyer Barrister Akhtar Imam, Barrister Rashna Imam and Advocate Nasima Akhtar Lovely moved on behalf of Imran Sharif during the hearing while Barrister Ajmalul Hossain and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir stood on behalf of Nakano Eriko.

In February 2021, Imran Sharif brought his two daughters from Japan to Bangladesh without the consent of their mother.

In a writ petition filed with the HC, Eriko mentioned that Imran filed a divorce notice with a Japanese court on January 18, 2021, but he did not appear in the court on the date fixed for hearing.

Eriko's petition said that Imran picked up the two girls from school in Tokyo on January 21, 2021 and came to Bangladesh on February 21.

Eriko, a doctor from Tokyo, came to Bangladesh on July 18, 2021 and filed a writ petition with the HC on August 19 seeking directions against Imran.

Erico and Imran got married on July 11, 2008.