Ekush, a newborn who was recovered from a dustbin in the port city on the eve of Amar Ekushey, has finally got a mother.

A Chittagong court handed over the baby boy to Shakila Akhter yesterday, six days after it had awarded his custody to the 42-year-old.

During the handover at a jam-packed courtroom, Chittagong Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Jannatul Ferdous, who is also the judge of Chittagong Children's Court, told Shakila: “Today you are getting the child who is known to the entire nation. I hope he would be brought up as an enlightened person.”

The judge said her husband was critically ill and was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). But she made it to the court, considering it her human responsibility.

She also thanked Shakila, her husband, doctors, nurses, police, lawyers, the media and all the others who came forward to save Ekush's life.

An emotional Shakila said, “I am extremely happy today. I have become a mother.”

Earlier in the day, Assistant Registrar Debasis Kumar Roy and ward In-Charge Shikha Bhattacharya of Neonatal ward of Chittagong Medical College Hospital brought Ekush to the court. 

Debasis handed over the baby to his new mother before the court following the signing of a deed. With this, Shakila's desire for motherhood was finally fulfilled after 19 years of her marriage.

On March 29, the court awarded custody of Ekush to Shakila, who was among 16 aspirant mothers.

The court also directed the couple to obtain a Tk 10-lakh education insurance for Ekush.

Shakila's husband Zakirul Islam, who is a physician, said they had already followed the court's directive.

Public Prosecutor (PP) MA Fayez said the court selected Shakila as Ekush's custodian due to her medical condition of being unable to bear any child. The couple's financial solvency was also taken into consideration.

On February 20 midnight, just an hour before Amar Ekushey and International Mother Language Day, several local youths heard a baby's cry coming out from a dustbin and conveyed it to the police. Later Akber Shah Police recovered the baby. Officer-in-Charge Alamgir Mahmud of the police station adorned the baby with the name “Ekush”.