HC grants bail to mother of two children crying on court premises

Following media reports on two children crying at a lower court premises in Dhaka for their detained parents, the High Court yesterday granted bail to their mother Washima Akhtar (41) for six months in a criminal case and asked authorities to release her immediately from jail custody.

It also issued a rule asking authorities of the state to explain in four weeks why Tofail Ahmed (41), father of the children, and Washima should not be granted bail.

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 Daily Star 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 had 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 then 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 then sent them to jail rejecting their bail petition.

On December 22, the magistrate had 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.