Dr Humayra Abedin, from east London, flew back to Britain this week after being freed by the courts.

She went to the High Court today to begin steps to annul her marriage.

The 33-year-old has confirmed she was forced to marry a man picked out by her parents in a Muslim ceremony in November.

She was held for four months in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka.

In a statement released through her lawyers, Dr Abedin said: “I did not consent to the marriage. I have given my solicitors instructions to urgently issue proceedings in this country for a decree of nullity to be obtained on my behalf.”

Dr Abedin came to the UK six years ago to study for a Masters degree in public health at Leeds University.

She had hoped to become a registrar at a GP surgery in east London in August but, after receiving news her mother had taken ill, returned to Dhaka where she was then held captive.

After the mother’s death, Mullane had to examine the parenting capacities of all the disputing parties. A dispiriting picture emerged. The maternal grandfather and his partner, according to court reports, lived in a filthy dwelling on a property littered with rubbish, with an unfenced dam, and fierce dogs. The grandfather was illiterate, had been found guilty of minor drug offences, was a heavy drinker, and had bashed his former wife. His partner, also a heavy drinker, had previously lost the care of her own children. They lived on unemployment and disability benefits.

When the judge turned to examine the capacities of Daniel’s father, it was more bad news. He emerged from court reports as an antisocial man who had turned to heroin, like his mother before him. Later he went on methadone. He had severe anxiety attacks and was abusive to his partner. Their baby had been temporarily taken into care. Under pressure in the witness box, the father threw a jug of water.

The father of the two older children was described in a social worker’s early report as demonstrating little insight into his children’s needs and being less than honest. “He clearly has had little time in being the primary carer of his children,” the report said.

He seemed overwhelmed by the task, and the children were unruly. He also used marijuana. Months later, a second report noted a big improvement in his parenting “from a low base” and in his commitment to the children. Not surprisingly, Anabel had major behavioural problems, and Janet was on medication for ADHD, but the father was now involved in their schooling and medical care.

Once upon a time, Facebook was a gathering place for college kids. No one had access to the social networking site, started at Harvard in 2004, without a university e-mail address.

But two years ago, Facebook opened its virtual doors to everyone and now, OMG, parents are everywhere. Adults older than 35 accounted for 3.6 million — 9 percent — of the Facebook demographic last year, and the numbers just keep growing.

Several Facebook support groups have popped up in the past year, including the “And then my Mom joined Facebook” group, organized by “The Bureau of Endangered Generation Gaps” and featuring discussion topics such as “Should I Friend My Mom?” and “What if Grandma Pokes Me?”