Japanese mother files petition with HC to remove CCTV cameras from residence

Japanese citizen Nakano Erico (48) yesterday filed a petition with the High Court for permission to stay with her two daughters and move freely with them around their Gulshan residence without being under surveillance.

The High Court bench headed by Justice M Enayetur Rahim may hear the petition on Tuesday, said Erico's lawyer Adv Mohammad Shishir Monir.

Nakano Erico (48) and her Bangladeshi ex-husband Sharif Imran (58) are amid a legal battle over the custody of their two daughters.

Erico in yesterday's petition demanded that all the CCTV cameras - which were installed by Sharif Imran - be removed from their rented house.

She also sought directives on removing videos circulated against Erico on various social media and taking legal action against the video makers and uploaders.

Previously on 31 August, the same High Court bench directed Nakano Erico and Sharif Imran to stay with their two daughters for 15 days at a rented house in Gulshan-1 of the capital. Following this, the children were shifted from the victim support centre in Tejgaon and handed over to the parents.

The Deputy Director of the Social Services Department in Dhaka was given the responsibility to monitor their overall situation. Also, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner and Criminal Investigation Department were given the responsibility of ensuring their safety and security.

The High Court had set September 16 as the next date for hearing in the case, but Erico filed a new petition.

What ensued following petition for custody

On 19 August, Nakano Eriko filed a petition with the High Court seeking its directives to get back her two daughters, Jasmine Malika (11), and Laila Lina (10), from their father Sharif Imran.

The court then asked the authorities to present the two children in court on 31 August. It also asked Imran not to leave the country with his daughters for the next one month.

Following the order, on August 22, a police team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took both children into their custody from their father's house.

On 23 August, Advocate Fawzia Karim, counsel for Imran, drew the attention of the court about the matter. The High Court then asked the authorities concerned to keep the two children at the Tejgaon Victim Support Centre until August 31.

During this period, their mother could visit them between 8am and 1pm and their father could visit them between 3pm and 8pm.

From Japan to Bangladesh

Imran and Japanese doctor Erico — parents to three daughters — were married on 11 July 2008 under Japanese law.

According to Erico's lawyer, Imran filed for divorce on 18 January 2021 but failed to appear before the court on the scheduled hearing date.

Three days later, he picked up two of his daughters from their school bus stop in Tokyo and took them to a rented house without Erico's consent. On 21 February, he came to Bangladesh with the girls.

Meanwhile, on 31 May, a court in Tokyo had handed over custody of the two daughters to Eriko.

Erico followed Imran to Bangladesh in a few months and filed a writ petition with the HC on 18 July to get back her daughters.