Krishnaganj, Oct. 10: A young couple and their minor son from Habra of North 24 Parganas, who were arrested by Border Guard Bangladesh for illegally sneaking into Bangladesh territory to meet a relative, were repatriated on Monday after a year.
Suman De (32), Sujata De (30), and their son Subhajit (9), who are residents of Habra in North 24 Parganas were handed over to the Indian authorities by the BGB and officials of Bangladesh police at Main Pillar No. 76 of the Indi-Bangladesh border near Gede In Nadia on Monday afternoon in presence of a representative of Dhaka based Indian High Commission.
“Repatriation of the couple and their minor son have been made possible due to a coordinated initiative of two countries…”, a BSF official in Gede said.
Police and BSF sources said that in February last year, the couple with the help of a tout had sneaked into Bangladesh territory to visit his ailing relative in Jessore. Around a month later, on March 21, the couple while trying to return to India in a similar way through a porous border with the support of tout, was nabbed by a patrolling BGB team.
The couple was eventually handed over to the Maheshpur police authorities in Bangladesh.
A BSF official said, “They were later produced before a court in Jhenaidaha which ordered three month’s imprisonment for infiltration. The period of their punishment was completed on November 16 last year. But due to certain legal complications to get their release ensured, the couple had to wait for homecoming. During this period they were kept in Jhenaidaha jail. Their release order was issued on Sunday that eventually paved way for homecoming”.
Speaking to media persons Suman said, “It was a big mistake on my part to enter Bangladesh illegally without any passport…My maternal uncle was ill. So I tried to reach him fast…while retuning home in Habra, we were caught”.
Some voluntary human rights organizations also persuaded the Bangladesh government to ensure the speedy release of the couple since they were pining in jail despite the completion of their 3 months’ jail term.