The High Court (HC) has handed over the 19-year-old Canadian citizen, who was reportedly confined by her own parents for over 10 months in Bangladesh, to representatives of the Canadian government.
The HC bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice SM Maniruzzaman came up with the verdict following a writ petition filed by the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka on Sunday.
Barrister Sara Hossain appeared for the petitioner while the father of the teen girl and officials of the embassy were present in the court today (17 April).
As a result of the HC order, the young woman will now be able to return to Canada after completing the due legal procedures.
Sources said the young lady is a Canadian citizen by birth and a student of a university there. She lived there along with her parents, who are also Canadian citizens. They all came to Bangladesh in March last year and settled in their home country.
When the girl wanted to move back to Canada, the parents disagreed.
The Canadian High Commission lodged a general diary at Mugda police station in the capital on 9 February.
After receiving a letter from the Canadian High Commission on the same day, a writ petition was filed in the HC on 5 April with the help of rights organisation Bangladesh Legal Aid Services (BLAST) and Ain O Salish Kendra.
According to the writ petition, the girl's mobile phone was seized, and her grandmother and mother always kept her locked at home.
At one point, the young woman managed to send an email to the Canadian government and the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka, informing them of her "house arrest". The girl also said she wanted to return to Canada.
On 5 April, the HC ordered the inspector general of police, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner, the officer-in-charge of Mugda police station and the parents of the girl to produce the girl before it on 10 April.
At the same time, the parents were also asked to appear before the court.
On 12 April, the same HC bench observed that the Canadian national cannot be kept confined against her will as she is an adult and the Canadian government must ensure her safety and security.
