HC orders authorities to take responsibility of 4 children after father’s jail, mother’s death

The High Court has directed authorities to take responsibility for the four children, including twins babies, as their mother died, and their father is in jail over a political case. 

The court instructed the Department of Social Services and the deputy commissioner of Gopalganj to ensure the implementation of this order. 

Additionally, the Attorney General's Office has been directed to inform the relevant authorities about the court’s decision.

The directive was issued suo motu on Thursday by a High Court bench comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury, following a report published in a national daily recently. 

The report was presented to the court by lawyers Barrister Hamidul Misbah, Barrister Nazia Kabir, and Barrister Sifat Mahmood Shuvo. 

On behalf of the state, Deputy Attorney General Tanim Khan, Sajia Afrin, and Assistant Attorney General Mujahidul Islam Shaheen appeared.

According to the lawyers, a month ago, Sajjad Mollah, 13 became the eldest sibling when his twin sisters were born. Tragically, his mother, Sathi Begum, passed away just a week later. 

Meanwhile, Sajjad’s father, Jamal Mia, a day laborer, was arrested and imprisoned in connection with a political case. As a result, Sajjad has been struggling to care for his three sisters, including the newborn twins.

The published report said that Jamal Mia, a laborer from Chitrapara village in Gopalganj, has been facing extreme hardship after the death of his wife. 

On the night of November 8, the Kotaliapara police arrested Jamal Mia at his home and transferred him to the Gopalganj Sadar police station. 

The next day, November 9, he was arrested as a suspect in the murder case of Shaukat Ali Didar.

Jamal Mia’s brother, Monir Mia, said: “My brother is not involved with any political party. He was once the general secretary of the Amtali Union Jubo Dal. We do not know why the police arrested him and sent him to jail in connection with the murder case. His children are without food at home and are suffering. The situation of the newborn twins is the most critical.”

Monir Mia also explained that Jamal’s eldest son, Sajjad Mia, is a seventh-grade student at MM Khan High School, and his second child, Faria, is a first-grade student at Chitrapara Government Primary School. 

After the death of his wife, Sathi Begum, Jamal had been taking care of their four children, including the one-month-old twins, and his elderly mother. Now, there is no one else to look after them.