The Appellate Division of Supreme Court on Sunday ordered that the two children of Bangladesh-born US citizen Imran Sharif and Japanese mother Nakano Erico will stay with their mother.

A full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order following an appeal filed by Eriko against a High Court verdict on the issue.

In the order, the apex court said Jasmine and Laila will remain in custody of their mother Eriko until the family court concerned in Dhaka disposes of the case.

Imran filed the lawsuit on February 28 last year seeking custody of the minors.

The court also directed the family court to settle the lawsuit in three months from the date of receiving the Appellate Division order.

The apex court also declared the detention of the children by Imran Sharif illegal.

Barrister Ajmalul Hossain and Advocate Ahsanul Karim stood for Erico while Advocate Fida M Kamal and Advocate Fouzia Karim for Imran.