TikTok Warning as Teen Mother Regains Child

In a case highlighting the impact of social media and online safety on minors, a 13-year-old mother from Hazaribagh has been allowed to keep her seven-month-old son with her temporarily, subject to conditions. The Dhaka District Legal Aid Office also advised her to refrain from using Facebook, TikTok and other social media platforms.

The decision came after a guardianship hearing held on 4 August, Tuesday, at the Dhaka District Legal Aid Office.

Following the hearing, District Legal Aid Officer and Senior Assistant Judge Md. Sayem Khan said the child would remain with his mother for now, considering the existing law and the child's best interests. He added that the minor had been advised to avoid social media use, while both parties were instructed to comply with the law.

According to Legal Aid sources, the child's father has already filed a petition seeking permanent guardianship, which is currently pending before the relevant family court. The court will make the final decision on permanent custody.

According to the family, the girl became acquainted with 22-year-old Md. Shakil Mia through TikTok in 2025. They later developed a relationship, and the family alleges that Shakil lured the minor into a notarized marriage. She later became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, Barishal, on 1 January this year, when she was only 12 years and 4 months old.

The family further alleges that Shakil's family later kept the baby and forced the minor to leave the house. She subsequently applied to the Dhaka District Legal Aid Office on 20 May to regain custody of her child.

While the child will remain with his mother for now, the issue of permanent guardianship will be settled through the family court.

The case has also renewed discussions about the risks of minors' exposure to social media platforms, particularly TikTok, and the importance of digital safety, online awareness and parental supervision.

//DBTech/BTN/MIS//