Legal aid authorities return infant to 13-year-old mother amidst ongoing custody dispute
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A 13-year-old mother has been granted custody of her seven-month-old daughter following a mediation process facilitated by the Dhaka District Legal Aid Office. The decision, delivered during a formal guardianship hearing on Tuesday, ensures the infant will remain with her mother while the child’s father pursues a separate permanent custody petition in family court.
The case, which recently gained significant public attention, stems from allegations of exploitation and abuse. According to court records, the teenager met 22-year-old Md. Shakil Mia via TikTok in 2025. Following their online interaction, the girl alleged that she was coerced into a relationship and a marriage finalized through a notary public. She later gave birth to their daughter at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal, after which she claimed to have been subjected to physical abuse and confinement by her partner’s family.
Senior Assistant Judge and District Legal Aid Officer Md. Sayem Khan oversaw the proceedings, emphasizing that while the infant has been returned to the mother’s care, the matter of permanent legal guardianship remains pending before the appropriate family court. During the hearing, the mother testified that she had been lured away, deprived of basic necessities, and held against her will. The girl’s father, Jewel Khan, corroborated these claims, asserting that the marriage was invalid and that his daughter had been mistreated.
As part of the conditions for maintaining custody, the legal aid office has issued a stern advisory to the young mother to abstain from using social media platforms, including TikTok and Facebook. The court stressed that the priority remains ensuring a secure and stable environment for the child’s development.
The resolution follows a series of legal interventions initiated on May 20, when the teenager filed a complaint seeking the return of her daughter. Acting on directives from the District Legal Aid Office, police recovered the infant from the father’s family on July 27. The child was temporarily placed with her mother on July 30, pending the formal hearing held this week. The child’s father was present during the proceedings but did not offer testimony.
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