17 trafficked Bangladeshi adolescents, including 10 boys and 7 girls, have returned to the country through special travel permits after completing two years of imprisonment in India.
On Wednesday (27 August) at 5:30pm, the Indian Petrapole Immigration Police handed them over to the Benapole Checkpoint Immigration Police.
The handed-over Bangladeshis are: Deepa Moni (15), Moin Khan (13), Nurul Alam (15), Hridoy Mondol (15), Imran Sheikh (17), Mehedi Hasan (17), Naid Mondol (19), Faisal Sheikh (13), Rana (17), Malika Rani (17), Shamima Akter (14), Shara Jannat (18), Imu Khatun (14), Mithila Akter (17), Sayem Zomaddar (10), Komol Sardar (21), and Nurjahan Khatun (18).
They are residents of Chapainawabganj, Habiganj, Gopalganj, Kushtia, Lakshmipur, Khulna, Narail, Bagerhat, Lalmonirhat, Kishoreganj, Rangamati, Lakshmipur, Pabna, Bagerhat, and Naogaon districts.
The Acting Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Benapole Immigration Police, Ilias Hossain Munshi, said, “Three years ago, they had gone illegally to Mumbai and Chennai in India through brokers with hopes of finding good work. There, they were detained by the police. Subsequently, the court in that country sentenced them to two years in prison for illegal entry. After completing their imprisonment, three Indian NGOs – Kisholoy Home, Sukarna Home, and Liluah Home – took responsibility for them and kept them in shelter homes. Later, with the cooperation of both countries’ embassies and through special travel permits from the Indian government, they returned to the country on Wednesday afternoon.”
After completing immigration formalities, they were handed over to the Benapole Port Police Station. From there, three NGOs – Justice and Care, Rights Jessore, and the Women Lawyers’ Association – will receive them and hand them over to their families.
Psychosocial Counselor of Rights Jessore Jawadul Karim informed that the returnees have been received from the Benapole Port Police Station. They will be handed over to their respective families.