Fifty Bangladeshi nationals return home after serving prison terms in India for illegal entry
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Fifty Bangladeshi nationals returned home through the Benapole border crossing on Sunday night after serving prison sentences in India for illegal entry. The group, consisting of 44 men and six women, was handed over by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel to local immigration authorities at Petrapole at approximately 9 p.m.
The returnees hail from several districts across Bangladesh, including Jashore, Brahmanbaria, Dhaka, Madaripur, Tangail, Satkhira, Narail, Jhenaidah, and Chandpur. Their repatriation was facilitated by a special travel permit issued by the Indian government following coordination between the two nations’ embassies and various legal advocacy groups.
বিজ্ঞাপন
One of the returnees, Firoz Mahmud, described being lured to the Indian state of Tamil Nadu by human traffickers with the promise of stable employment. After working in garment factories, brick kilns, and domestic settings, he was apprehended by local police. An Indian court subsequently sentenced him to three years in prison for trespassing. Following his sentence, he was held in a shelter home managed by an Indian human rights organization until his travel documentation was finalized.
Benapole Immigration Police Officer-in-Charge Saifur Rahman stated that upon completion of formal processing, the group was transferred to the Benapole Port Police Station. From there, they were placed under the custody of local human rights organizations to ensure their safe return to their respective families.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Apurba Kumar Saha, regional manager of the advocacy group Justice and Care, confirmed that the individuals had been detained by police in Tamil Nadu at various times. Following the repatriation process, Justice and Care assumed responsibility for the four women in the group, while the organization Rights Jashore took charge of the 46 men to oversee their reintegration into their communities.
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