Japanese child Laila to stay with father: HC in full text

The High Court in the full text of a verdict has observed that Japanese child Laila Lina Sharif, 12, will stay with her Bangladesh-born US citizen father Imran Sharif till the age of 18 due to exceptional circumstances.

However, Laila's elder sister Jasmine Malika Sharif, 14, will stay with her mother Japanese citizen Nakano Eriko, the court said.

The HC also directed both the father and mother to ensure the full visitation rights of the children.

"----the custody of Jasmine Malika Sharif be decided in favour of the mother but considering the exceptional circumstances, the custody of the daughter 'Laila Lina Sharif' be with the father till attainment of the age of majority," the HC bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman said in the 31-page full text of verdict which has been released recently.

In the full text of the verdict, the HC judge observed that it is the duty of the mother to allow the father full visitation rights of Jasmine Malika Sharif and it is the duty of the father to give full visitation rights to her mother of Laila Lina Sharif.

"The parties are also at liberty to take the respective child with them for a limited period for visitation purposes strictly," Justice Mamnoon Rahman ordered in the full text of the verdict.

Earlier on February 13, the bench delivered the verdict after holding a hearing on a revision petition filed by Imran Sharif challenging a lower court judgement which directed that both the daughters—Jasmine and Laila will remain in the custody of Eriko.

Their third daughter Sonia, 8, has been in Japan with her maternal grandmother.

Eriko's lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir told The Daily Star that there is no legal issue over the custody of their third daughter Sonia, who has been in Japan.

Earlier on February 13, 2022, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court had directed that two children, Jasmine and Laila, who were brought from Japan to Bangladesh in February, 2021 by Imran Sharif, will stay in the custody of their mother Nakano Eriko.

The apex court had then declared the detention of the children by Imran Sharif illegal.