Humayra Abedin
Encyclopedia
Humayra Abedin is a Bangladesh
-born doctor of medicine who worked for the National Health Service
in the United Kingdom
and became a cause celebre
after her parents tried to force her into marriage
and held her captive until she was freed by court order.
in Dhaka before training as a doctor in Dhaka Medical College. In 2002, she came to England
to study for a master's degree public health
at Leeds University, and in 2008 she was training to become a general practitioner
at Whipps Cross Hospital in east London.
On August 3, 2008, Abedin was allegedly duped into returning to her family home in Bangladesh's capital city of Dhaka
by family members claiming that her mother was seriously ill. She was allegedly beaten, drugged and held against her will for more than four months, while her family was preparing to marry her to a Muslim man she had never met.
On August 11, a friend of Abedin notified authorities after receiving the following message: "Please help me. My life is in danger. They have locked me in house. My job is at stake. They are making my life hell."
On December 14, 2008, Judge Syed Mahmod Hossain ordered Abedin's parents to release her immediately and return her passport, driving licence and credit card. Abedin left Bangladesh for England the same day. Her father claims that the accusations made against him and his wife are all false and that his daughter was never held captive by anyone.
A week earlier, the High Court of Justice
had issued an injunction under the British Forced Marriage Act of 2007
, demanding that Abedin be allowed to return to Great Britain.
External links
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
-born doctor of medicine who worked for the National Health Service
National Health Service (England)
The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and became a cause celebre
Cause célèbre
A is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning and heated public debate. The term is particularly used in connection with celebrated legal cases. It is a French phrase in common English use...
after her parents tried to force her into marriage
Forced marriage
Forced marriage is a term used to describe a marriage in which one or both of the parties is married without his or her consent or against his or her will...
and held her captive until she was freed by court order.
Biography
Humayra Abedin was born in Bangladesh in 1975. She studied in Viqarunnisa Noon SchoolViqarunnisa Noon School
Viqarunnisa Noon School is an all-girls school in Bailey Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh; it has about 10,000 students and links with the history of the entire South Asian subcontinent.- History :...
in Dhaka before training as a doctor in Dhaka Medical College. In 2002, she came to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to study for a master's degree public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
at Leeds University, and in 2008 she was training to become a general practitioner
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
at Whipps Cross Hospital in east London.
On August 3, 2008, Abedin was allegedly duped into returning to her family home in Bangladesh's capital city of Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
by family members claiming that her mother was seriously ill. She was allegedly beaten, drugged and held against her will for more than four months, while her family was preparing to marry her to a Muslim man she had never met.
On August 11, a friend of Abedin notified authorities after receiving the following message: "Please help me. My life is in danger. They have locked me in house. My job is at stake. They are making my life hell."
On December 14, 2008, Judge Syed Mahmod Hossain ordered Abedin's parents to release her immediately and return her passport, driving licence and credit card. Abedin left Bangladesh for England the same day. Her father claims that the accusations made against him and his wife are all false and that his daughter was never held captive by anyone.
A week earlier, the High Court of Justice
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
had issued an injunction under the British Forced Marriage Act of 2007
Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007
The Forced Marriage Act 2007 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It seeks to assist victims of forced marriage, or those threatened with forced marriage, by providing civil remedies...
, demanding that Abedin be allowed to return to Great Britain.
External links