Mother fights for custody of baby son

The High Court yesterday directed the paternal uncle and grandmother of a 20-month-old boy, who was taken away from his mother eight months ago, to produce him before it on January 7 for a decision on his custody.

The court will decide on that day whether the baby boy, Mousum Gain Neel, would be sent back to his mother.

Neel's uncle Ripon Gain and grandmother Sushoma Gain were ordered to bring him to the court because they took him away from his mother Farida Yeasmin Moni.

The bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty came up with the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Moni, in which she sought an order on the respondents (Neel's father Neuton, uncle Ripon and grandmother Sushoma) to send Neel back to her.

Citing from the petition, Farida told The Daily Star that she married Neuton Gain, a Hindu man, from Dakope in Khulna after they had fallen in love.

Neuton Gain converted to Islam and named himself Neuton Gain Liton after their marriage in March 2015, and their son, Neel, was born in 2016, she said.

The family of Neuton did not accept their marriage, and on April 17 this year, Neuton, his brother Ripon, and their mother Sushoma took Neel away from her after coming to her rented house in Mugda area of the capital, she said.

Moni, however, said she did not know where Neel was staying now.

She also said a dowry case was filed against Neuton as he allegedly demanded Tk 2 lakh from her after taking away her son.