No hard feelings, says doctor held by Bangladesh parents

A LONDON doctor freed by the courts after being held captive by her family in Bangladesh was due to arrive back in Britain today.

Dr Humayra Abedin, 33, was being held by her parents against her will in the capital, Dhaka, where they wanted to force her into marriage. But a Bangladeshi court ordered that she be released and allowed to return to the UK.

Dr Abedin, of Upton Park, east London, told reporters: "I'm relieved that I'm free, I'm happy. I just want to say thank you to all those who supported and helped me I don't have any bad feelings towards them, they are my parents so I don't have any bad feelings."

The lawyer representing the NHS doctor in the UK, Anne-Marie Hutchinson, said: "She is currently on a non-direct flight from Dhaka." After speaking to Dr Abedin yesterday, Ms Hutchinson said: "She's fine, but obviously exhausted and was anxious to leave before people changed their mind."

Dr Abedin came to Britain six years ago to study for a Masters degree in public health at Leeds University. She had hoped to become a registrar at a GP surgery in east London but was lured to Bangladesh in August by false reports that her mother was ill.

When she arrived her parents allegedly held her hostage to try to force her to marry a fellow Muslim. While in captivity Dr Abedin sent an email to a friend requesting help.

Her family were reportedly angry because Dr Abedin, who works at Whipps Cross hospital, is believed to have a Hindu partner. He has said that death threats had been issued against his family in Bangladesh.

Judge Syed Mahmud Hossain refused to reveal the testimony of Dr Abedin, saying: "She requested the court not to put her parents in trouble because of what they did to her. But I am saying what you (the parents) have done to her is not acceptable. If there's any further problem you will be in big trouble."

Neighbours in Upton Park were celebrating today. One, who did not want to be named, said: "The man she lives with has a white ex-wife and two mixed race children so I think that's what made her parents so angry."

The High Court in London issued an order under Britain's new Forced Marriage Act, which the Foreign Office hoped would "carry some weight" even though it was not enforceable overseas as Dr Abedin is not British.