Seven Bangladeshi nationals, including six women, returned home through the Benapole check-post on Saturday evening after serving six years in an Indian prison.
They were handed over to Benapole Immigration Police by India’s Petrapole Immigration authorities under a special travel permit issued by the Indian government.
The returnees are Monika Akter, 21, Lili Begum, 31, Kajol Gazi, 27, Ambia Bibi, 32, Aklima Khatun, 22, Sabina Bibi, 25, and Islam Sardar, 57.
They hail from various districts, including Dhaka, Satkhira, Khulna, Jessore, and Bogra.
Benapole Immigration Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ibrahim Ahmed said they had illegally entered India around seven years ago through human traffickers, in search of better livelihood opportunities.
While working as domestic help in Kolkata, they were detained by Indian police and later sentenced to six years in prison for illegal entry.
After completing their sentences, they were taken into custody by an Indian NGO and placed in a shelter home.
With assistance from the embassies of both countries and upon completion of the necessary legal procedures, they were repatriated under special travel permits.
Following immigration formalities, the returnees were handed over to Benapole Port police station.
Rights Jessore, a local NGO, will be responsible for their rehabilitation.
Jawadul Karim, psychosocial counsellor at Rights Jessore, said the organization received the returnees from police custody.
One of them, Islam Sardar, was reunited with his family on Saturday night.
Efforts are underway to contact the families of the six women to ensure their safe return home, he added.
