Four children from Bakerganj in Barishal, who were arrested in a rape case, have been handed over to their parents early today after they were released from Jashore Children Development Centre in line with a High Court directive issued last night.

"Officer in charge (OC) of Bakerganj Police Station informed me at 8:30am today over phone that the four children were handed over to their parents. They were carried in a microbus with proper police protection. Local administration of Jashore has made the arrangements," Supreme Court Spokesman Mohammad Saifur Rahman told The Daily Star this morning.

At 9:30pm last night, two High Court judges operated a bench and directed the Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Daman Tribunal of Barishal to instantly grant bail to four children, who were arrested on October 7 in a case filed on charges of raping a six- year-old child at Bakerganj in the district.

In a suomuto (voluntary) order, the HC directed the authorities concerned to release the four children, aged between 10 to 12 years, from the custody of Children Development Centre at Pulerhat in Jashore on bail, and to hand them over to their guardians within that night.

OC of Bakerganj Police Station has been ordered to submit a report to the Supreme Court special officer by 10:30am today after handing over the children to their guardians.

The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim came up with the order following a report broadcast on private television channel Shomoy TV on the incident of arresting the children and inhumanly taking them to Jashore Children Development Centre following the rejection of their bail prayer.

Court sources said the HC judges ordered Senior Judicial Magistrate of Barishal Enayet Ullah, who rejected the bail petitions of the detained children, to appear before the HC bench on Sunday morning to place his explanation for rejecting the bail petition.      

The HC bench ordered the OC of Bakerganj Police Station to appear before the bench along with the children and their guardians on Sunday.

It also asked the registrar of Barishal Medical College Hospital to submit the medical report of the victim child to the court on Sunday. The Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Daman Tribunal of Barishal has granted bail to the children immediately after receiving the HC order through mail last night.

The incident of rape took place in Bakerganj on October 6 and the victim's father filed the case the same day.

Bakerganj police arrested them on October 7 and produced them to the court of senior judicial magistrate Enayet Ullah the same day. He rejected their bail petition and ordered the police to send them to Jashore Children Development Centre, HC sources said.