50 Bangladeshi trafficking victims repatriated from India

Fifty Bangladeshi nationals, who were victims of human trafficking, were repatriated from India on Sunday night through the Benapole-Petrapole border using travel permits.

The group, comprising 44 men and six women, was handed over by the Indian police at the Petrapole Integrated Check Post before being received at the Benapole check post. Two rights organisations-Rights Jessore and Justice and Care-received the returnees upon their arrival.

According to officials, the returnees had served prison terms in India ranging from one and a half years to seven years after being detained for illegal entry.

The formal handover took place around 8:30pm at the zero line in the presence of representatives from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), India's Border Security Force (BSF), immigration police from both countries, and representatives of the two human rights organizations.

Benapole Immigration Officer-in-Charge (OC) Saiful Islam said the 50 returnees were handed over to Benapole Port Police Station after the completion of immigration formalities.

Officer-in-Charge of Benapole Port Police Station Ashraf Hossain said that following legal procedures, the returnees were placed under the custody of Rights Jessore and Justice and Care to facilitate legal assistance, rehabilitation and reunification with their families.

Executive Director of Rights Jessore Binoy Krishna Mallik said the victims had been trafficked to India after being lured with promises of well-paid jobs, taking advantage of their financial hardship. Instead, they were forced into various exploitative and risky activities.

He said Indian police later arrested them on charges of illegal entry and sent them to prison. After serving their sentences, they were transferred to shelter homes with the support of Indian human rights organizations. With the assistance of the governments of both countries, they were eventually repatriated to Bangladesh through the travel permit mechanism.