The two children of Bangladesh-born US citizen Imran Sharif and Japanese mother Nakano Erico will stay with their mother, a family court said in its judgment on Sunday (July 16).

Judge AHM Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan of the Dhaka District and Session Judge and Family Court gave the order on Sunday after turning down an appeal from their father.

Shishir Monir, lawyer of the Japanese mother Nakano Eriko, confirmed the matter today.

On January 29, Durdana Rahman, judge of Dhaka’s Second Additional Assistant Judge and Family Court, issued an order dismissing the case filed by Imran Sharif to keep his two children in his custody. 

The next day, Imran Sharif filed an appeal against that judgment. On February 16, the court accepted the appeal for a hearing. 

Japanese doctor Eriko married Bangladeshi engineer Imran Sharif in 2008. Due to marital conflicts, they filed for divorce at the beginning of 2020. After that, Imran took their two elder school-going daughters with him to Bangladesh, while the younger daughter remained with Eriko in Japan.

Eriko came to Bangladesh in July last year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic to see her children. When she submitted a writ petition with the High Court, the judge ordered the parents to reach a consensus in this regard. when they failed, the High Court said the children would stay with their father. The court also asked the father to bear the expenses of Eriko's visit to ensure she could meet the children.

The mother of the children appealed against that judgment in the Appellate Division and in response, she got their custody. However, the father did not accept the court's decision and expressed dissatisfaction. Subsequently, the court brought the children to talk with their father and then issued an order for their custody to be given to their mother.

Later, on February 13 in 2022, the appellate Division, in its order, said the two daughters will remain under the custody of their mother until the family court's decision. Therefore, the case was shifted to the family court from the Appellate Division.

Meanwhile, Imran Sharif filed a case with Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on December 29 accusing Japanese mother Eriko of attempting to flee the country along with daughters. Dhaka's Metropolitan Magistrate Arafatul Raqib, directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to conduct an investigation and submit a report.

BDST: 1503 HRS, JULY 16, 2023
MSK/SMS