21 Bangladeshis return after serving jail in India

Twenty-one Bangladeshis, including five children, returned home through the Benapole checkpost on Friday evening after serving time in Indian prison in different terms, starting from six months to five years, reports UNB.

The returnees comprising 10 women, 6 men and 5 children, are from Dhaka, Bagerhat, Khulna, Barguna, Narail, Munshiganj and Cox's Bazar districts.

They returned to the country with a special travel permit issued by the Indian government on coordinated efforts of the foreign ministry, Bangladesh deputy-high commission, and the Special Task Force on Prevention of Trafficking in Women and Children in West Bengal and Kolkata, according to a press release from the foreign ministry.

Raju Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Benapole checkpost immigration, said they were lured to India with promises of good jobs in different times. But Indian police arrested them while working from home in different parts of the country, including Kolkata.

From there, NGOs called MM Rescue, Sanglap and Talash put them in a shelter home.

In the presence of the director general (Consular and Welfare) and assistant secretary (Welfare) of the foreign ministry, a delegation from Bangladesh deputy high commission of Kolkata handed over all the Bangladeshi women and children to the local upazila nirbahi officer, upazila Women and children affairs officer and law enforcers’ agencies, said the release.

After the immigration process, they were handed over to two NGOs -- Justice Care and Rights Jashore.