HC orders Bangladeshi mother to allow US father to see his son

The High Court today passed an order allowing US citizen Garrison Robert Luttrell to see his child, who has a Bangladeshi mother, twice a week.

Garrison, 35, came to Bangladesh on August 17 for an opportunity to see his three-year-old son Fatmir Wal Ikram Luttrell.

The court directed the wife Farhana Karim, 35, who allegedly came to Bangladesh with Fatmir from the USA on June 27 this year, to allow Garrison to visit and pass time with the child at Uttara club from 11:00am-6:00pm on Saturdays and Tuesdays every week.

The bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque passed the order in the afternoon after hearing statements from Garrison and Farhana and their lawyers in a closed-door room, where newsmen were not allowed.

The HC however did not say anything about Garrison visiting his younger son Faith Al Aleem Kuitis as the child is only one month old, the lawyers concerned said.

The bench also fixed January 16 next year for further hearing and passing order on this issue.

Senior lawyer Fawzia Karim Firoze and lawyer Shajib Mahmood Alam appeared for Garrison while senior lawyer Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal stood for Farhana during the hearing of a writ petition filed by Garrison seeking custody of the children.

Following the petition, the HC had asked Farhana to appear before the bench along with the children today.

Lawyers Ruhul Quddus Kazal and Shajib Mahmood Alam told The Daily Star that Garrison and Farhana, who got married on August 9, 2018, are having conjugal conflicts on various issues.