Dhaka, December 14 (bdnews24.com) – The High Court on Sunday handed over Dr Humayra Abedin, whose parents have been charged with 'confining' her in Dhaka, to the British High Commission and requested them to arrange her safe journey back to the UK.
"We talked to her for more than half an hour. She told us in unequivocal terms that her movement was severely restricted for the last five months," said the HC order that freed Humayra.
After the HC order, barrister Sara Hossain, counsel for the petitioner, told bdnews24.com that Humayra wants to return to England.
"The British High Court ordered not to marry her off forcefully and produce her before a Bangladesh court. Thus the British court protected a British resident."
"Today, the Bangladesh High Court has made an unprecedented judgement for the freedom of a woman."
The HC division bench of justices Syed Mahmud Hossain and Quamrul Islam Siddique pronounced the judgment upon a public interest litigation writ filed by human rights organisation Ain O Shalish Kendra and a contempt petition.
"She (Humayra) does not want to put her parents in difficulty" as she wants to pursue her education in England, the court said.
"Having heard the entire version of the detenu we would like to request the British High Commission to arrange her safe journey to the United Kingdom. We also request the British High Commission that the detenu be kept in its custody till she leaves Bangladesh," the judgement said.
The HC directed the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner to ensure her safety until she reaches the British High Commission. Humayra was taken to the high commission following the order, where a court keeper handed her to the British authorities there.
Humayra went to the UK in 2002 to study public health at Leeds University.
She returned home to see her ailing mother in August. Since then her parents kept her in confinement for some five months.
The writ petition, accusing her parents of confining her against her will, was filed on Oct. 27 with the HC ordering her parents to produce Humayra before the court on Nov 4.
But her parents did not abide by the court order on the plea that she was "unmarried and mentally ill".
The HC issued a contempt rule on Nov. 26 and asked Humayra's parents to appear before the court with their daughter.
Her father Md. Joynul Abedin appeared with Humayra before the court, which after hearing the plaintiff ordered Joynul to return her passport, air ticket, credit card and driving licence.
Senior advocate Khandaker Mahbubuddin and barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal appeared for Humayra's parents.
bdnews24.com/at/mt/rah/2110hours
