HC orders parents to provide internet connection, mobile phone to Canadian daughter

The High Court on Sunday directed the parents of a Bangladeshi descent Canadian to give her internet connection and a mobile phone.

The High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice S M Maniruzzaman passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed challenging the legality of detaining an adult Canadian citizen by her parents in Dhaka.

Two rights organisations, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Ain O Salis Kendra (ASK), filed the petition on April 5.

In the writ petition, the rights organisations said that the Canadian lady has been in the custody of her parents for over 10 months without authorisation.

Upon hearing the writ petition, the High Court on April 5 asked the police members concerned to produce the Canadian citizen before the court on April 10. Complying with the court order, law enforcers of the capital’s Mugda Police Station produced her before the court on Sunday.

After hearing the parties, the court said the young lady would stay with her parents until the final order is passed on April 12.

The court asked the petitioners to include the Canadian High Commission in the petition as a party.

Lawyers ZI Khan Panna, Sara Hossain, Shahinuzzaman and Aysha Siddqua appeared before the court on behalf of the writ petitioners.

According to the petition, Canadian citizen of Bangladeshi descent came to the country on May 28 last year. Her parents have kept her confined in the capital’s Mugda area since, as they do not want her to go back to Canada.

Under this circumstance, she sought help from the Canadian High Commission through an email stating that she wants to go back to Canada. Responding to her plea, officials of the High Commission filed a general diary with the Mugda Police Station on February 9.

Afterwards, the High Commission communicated with the rights organisations that filed the writ petition with the High Court.