A total of 22 Bangladeshi nationals, including five women, returned to the country on Friday, after serving varying prison terms in India for illegal entry.
The Indian authorities handed them over to Bangladesh through the Tamabil immigration checkpost in Gowainghat upazila of Sylhet at around 4pm.
The returnees had been incarcerated at Tura Jail in the West Garo Hills district of India’s Meghalaya state. At the time of the handover at Tamabil immigration, representatives from both countries’ border forces—Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF), as well as immigration police, were present.
Sub-Inspector Md Shamim Mia, in charge of Tamabil immigration police, confirmed the handover, saying: “After serving long sentences, the 22 Bangladeshi nationals were officially transferred by Indian authorities. Following initial legal formalities, they were released into the custody of their respective relatives.”
According to immigration police sources, these individuals had been arrested by Indian police and BSF at different times for illegal entry across the border.
They were later sentenced to prison by Indian courts. After completing their terms, they were repatriated upon request by the Government of Bangladesh.
Among the returnees are-- Piyush Talukder, 60, Shuvendu Sarkar Talukder, 26, Roni Talukder, 27, Mitu Talukder, 15, Panna Talukder, 19, Saraswati Mohanayak, Swapno Mohanayak, 8, Sejuti Mohanayak Jhinuk, 11, Narayan Mohanayak, Pronoy Saha, 46, and Uday Das, 25, all from Netrokona; Md Kawsar Ali, 17, and Md Nur Amin, 15, from Godagari police station in Rajshahi; Marzan Hossain, 17, from Gowainghat police station in Sylhet; Md Islam Uddin, 25, from Companiganj police station; Ikramur Rahman Sayem, 16, from Beanibazar police station; Mobarak Hossain, 17, from Airport police station; Poppy Rani, 16, from Madhyanagar police station in Sunamganj; Shahriya Ahmed Shawon, 15, from Fulbaria police station in Mymensingh; Md Hasan Ali, 30, from Shariakandi police station in Bogra; Kashfiyatun Nur, 17, from Jessore sadar police station; and Md Shamim, 35, from Sarishabari police station in Jamalpur.
Authorities have confirmed that all returnees were handed over to their families after completion of the necessary legal procedures.
They also stressed the importance of raising awareness to discourage others from undertaking such risky and illegal journeys in the future.