Children unite parents in courtroom

It was a heart-rending scene as two little boys yesterday asked their divorced parents to say sorry to each other inside a courtroom. The two brothers—Salim Sadman Dhruba, 12, and Lubdha, 9, appealed to their parents and broke down in tears inside the court, creating a highly emotional scene. Even lawyers and others, including journalists, present in the court found it hard to push back tears. The appeal by the two children also moved Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Khairul Alam.

The judges were hearing a writ petition, filed by Kamrun Nehar Mallika, mother of the two children, who was divorced by her husband one year ago. Mallika filed the petition seeking guardianship of the two boys as her husband, Mehedi Hasan, had sent them to their grandfather’s home in Magura district before giving divorce to her on May 12 last year.

Mallika, a resident of Rajshahi, and Mehedi, a resident of Magura, had met when they came to study in Dhaka. Mallika, a student of home economics, and Mehedi, a student of Dhaka College, fell in love and got married in 2002. Mallika worked in a private school and college, while Mehedi worked a private Bank and continued their  

conjugal life.  Dhruba and Lubdha were born to the couple after a few years.

But the relationship between Mallika and Mehedi began to sour as time passed. They used to quarrel often and the growing bitterness finally led to their divorce on May 12 last year. Mehedi sent his sons in his native village Magura and asked his sister to look after them. Mallika tried to see her sons several times, but she was not allowed to do so.

Finally, Mallika moved the court to get the custody of her children and filed a writ petition at the High Court (HC) recently, seeking its directive on the matter. The HC had on May 29 directed the police and Mehedi to produce the two children before it on June 25 and issued a rule asking the authorities why the two children should not be handed over to their mother.

As per the HC order, police produced the two boys before the court along with their father yesterday morning. At one stage of the hearing, the HC wanted to hear what the two children themselves had to say. When asked to speak by the court, the elder brother, Dhruba, told the court that they did not want anything except their father and mother.

“We don’t want anything. We want to see our father and mother together,” he said.

Barrister Ruhul Kuddus Kajal, counsel for the petitioner, told the court that the mother of two children had not been able to meet her children for one long year. Following her prayer, the court allowed Mallika to meet her children in the courtroom. After getting the court’s permission, Mallika went and hugged the boys only to break down in tears. The children, too, wept in the arms of their mother and asked their father to come to their mother.

“Father, please come here and say sorry to mother,” said Dhruba.

The courtroom witnessed a heart-wrenching scene when their father came to their mother—all of them broke into tears. There was not a dry eye inside the courtroom at that moment.

After some time, the senior judge of the court asked their mother to consider the interests of their children. All the lawyers also asked their parents to reconcile for the sake of the children.

The court took a break and called the parents and their relatives into a small room. It then heard statements from the two parties.

The judges came back to the courtroom at 2.50pm and passed an interim order, saying that both the parties should appear before the HC bench. The police produced the two children as per its earlier directives.

An amicable discussion was held between the husband and wife. Their lawyers made submissions before the court and the parents of the two children wished their desire before the court to resume their conjugal life, the HC bench said.

The HC bench ordered the authorities concerned to give the custody of the children to their mother. It also said that their father can visit the kids whenever he wishes till July 4. “We'll pass a necessary order on July 4 in this regard,” the HC bench said.

 

Children unite parents in courtroom

It was a heart-rending scene as two little boys yesterday asked their divorced parents to say sorry to each other inside a courtroom. The two brothersSalim Sadman Dhruba, 12, and Lubdha, 9, appealed to their parents and broke down in tears inside the court, creating a highly emotional scene. Even lawyers and others, including journalists, present in the court found it hard to push back tears. The appeal by the two children also moved Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Khairul Alam. The judges were hearing a writ petition, filed by Kamrun Nehar Mallika, mother of the two children, who was divorced by her husband one year ago. Mallika filed the petition seeking guardianship of the two boys as her husband, Mehedi Hasan, had sent them to their grandfathers home in Magura district before giving divorce to her on May 12 last year. Mallika, a resident of Rajshahi, and Mehedi, a resident of Magura, had met when they came to study in Dhaka. Mallika, a student of home economics, and Mehedi, a student of Dhaka College, fell in love and got married in 2002. Mallika worked in a private school and college, while Mehedi worked a private Bank and continued their conjugal life. Dhruba and Lubdha were born to the couple after a few years. But the relationship between Mallika and Mehedi began to sour as time passed. They used to quarrel often and the growing bitterness finally led to their divorce on May 12 last year. Mehedi sent his sons in his native village Magura and asked his sister to look after them. Mallika tried to see her sons several times, but she was not allowed to do so. Finally, Mallika moved the court to get the custody of her children and filed a writ petition at the High Court (HC) recently, seeking its directive on the matter. The HC had on May 29 directed the police and Mehedi to produce the two children before it on June 25 and issued a rule asking the authorities why the two children should not be handed over to their mother. As per the HC order, police produced the two boys before the court along with their father yesterday morning. At one stage of the hearing, the HC wanted to hear what the two children themselves had to say. When asked to speak by the court, the elder brother, Dhruba, told the court that they did not want anything except their father and mother. We dont want anything. We want to see our father and mother together, he said. Barrister Ruhul Kuddus Kajal, counsel for the petitioner, told the court that the mother of two children had not been able to meet her children for one long year. Following her prayer, the court allowed Mallika to meet her children in the courtroom. After getting the courts permission, Mallika went and hugged the boys only to break down in tears. The children, too, wept in the arms of their mother and asked their father to come to their mother. Father, please come here and say sorry to mother, said Dhruba. The courtroom witnessed a heart-wrenching scene when their father came to their motherall of them broke into tears. There was not a dry eye inside the courtroom at that moment. After some time, the senior judge of the court asked their mother to consider the interests of their children. All the lawyers also asked their parents to reconcile for the sake of the children. The court took a break and called the parents and their relatives into a small room. It then heard statements from the two parties. The judges came back to the courtroom at 2.50pm and passed an interim order, saying that both the parties should appear before the HC bench. The police produced the two children as per its earlier directives. An amicable discussion was held between the husband and wife. Their lawyers made submissions before the court and the parents of the two children wished their desire before the court to resume their conjugal life, the HC bench said. The HC bench ordered the authorities concerned to give the custody of the children to their mother. It also said that their father can visit the kids whenever he wishes till July 4. Well pass a necessary order on July 4 in this regard, the HC bench said.