Following media reports on two children crying — at a lower court premises in Dhaka — for their detained parents, the High Court on Wednesday granted bail to their mother Washima Akhtar (41) for six months in a criminal case and asked the authorities concerned to release her immediately from the jail custody.
The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the state to explain in four weeks why Md Tofail Ahmed (41), father of the children, and their mother Washima should not be granted bail in the case.
The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice
Md Mostafizur Rahman came up with the order and rule on a suo muto (voluntary) move following reports on Channel 24 and Shomoy Television on December 22 on the plight of the children.
Supreme Court lawyers Moniruzzaman Asad, Mohammad Shishir Manir and Cumar Debul Dey placed the written version of the reports along with relevant documents before the HC bench for necessary order on this issue.
Shishir Manir told the media that Tofail Ahmed and his wife used to live with their two children — aged three and a half years and two and a half years — at the home of Washima’s mother Momena Begum in Old Dhaka.
Momena Begum filed a case with the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka on December 2 against Tofail and Washima on charge of threatening and attempting to beat her (Momena).
Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Mamunur Rashid issued an arrest warrant against Tofail and Washima in the case. Bangshal police arrested Tofail and Washima on December 18 and produced them to the magistrate the same day. The magistrate sent them to jail rejecting their bail petition.
On December 22, the magistrate again rejected their bail petition in the case, following which their children started crying profusely at the court premises, he said.
The children are now with their neighbours, Shishir Manir said.
