Japanese Kids to Stay with Their Mother till Disposal of Case

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday directed that the two children of Bangladesh-born American citizen Imran Sharif and Japanese citizen Dr Erico Nakano will stay with their mother until the disposal of the case.

Besides, the apex court also directed the Family Court, Dhaka to dispose of the case within three months.

A virtual bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order following a petition filed by Erico.

Barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC and his team appeared at the court on behalf of Japanese mother Erico Nakano, while former attorney general Fida M Kamal, Advocate Fouzia Karim Firoze, and her team appeared for the girls' Bangladeshi father Imran Sharif.

On November 21, the High Court directed that two children, Nakano Jasmine Malika, 11, and Nakano Laila Lina, 9, will remain with their father Imran Sharif, and their mother Eriko can meet them three times a year.

Earlier on November 1, hearings on the writ petition on whether the two Japanese girls will stay with their father Imran Sharif or go back to Japan with mother Erico Nakano was completed.

On September 30 last, the High Court passed an order stating that the Japanese mother Erico Nakano would stay with her daughters--Jesmine Malika and Laila Lina--at the Gulshan flat round-the-clock including nights. Father Imran Sharif will only be able to meet his daughters during the daytime. During that time, both father and mother will have to bear the rent of the flat equally. Since then, both the father and mother have been staying with the girls according to the order.

On August 31, the HC passed an order stating that two Japanese children--Jesmine Malika and Laila Lina--would live in a four-room flat at Gulshan in Dhaka. They would live there for 15 days. The rent of the flat would be borne by both sides.

The HC also stated that a deputy director of the Social Welfare Department will inform the court about the updates of the children once every three months. If necessary, the official will be able to stay at Imran Sharif's Gulshan flat where the girls will be staying.

The HC also directed the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police to ensure the security and safety of the girls during their stay at Gulshan flat.