A total of 22 Bangladeshi nationals, including women and children, returned home on Friday after serving prison sentences in India for illegally entering the country, officials said.
The returnees are Pijus Talukder, 60, of Netrokona, Shuvendu Sarkar Talukder, 26, Roni Talukder, 27, Mitu Talukder, 15, Panna Talukder, 19, Saraswati Mahanayak, Swapna Mahanayak, 8, Sejuti Mahanayak Jhinuk, 11, Narayan Mahanayak; Pranoy Saha, 46, Uday Das, 25, Md. Kausar Ali, 17, of Godabari Police Station in Rajshahi, Md. Nur Amin, 15, Marjan Hossain, 17, of Gowainghat Upazila in Sylhet, Md. Islam Uddin, 25, of Companiganj Upazila, Ikramur Rahman Sayem, 16, of Beanibazar Upazila, Mobarak Hossain, 17, of Sylhet Airport Thana area, Popi Rani, 16, of Madhyanagar Upazila in Sunamganj, Shahria Ahmed Shaon, 15, of Fulbaria Upazila in Mymensingh, Md. Hasan Ali, 30, of Sariakandi Thana in Bogura, Kashfiatun Noor, 17, of Sadar Thana in Jessore, and Md. Shamim, 35, of Sarishabari Thana in Jamalpur.
The Indian authorities handed them over through the Tamabil land port in Gowainghat upazila of Sylhet around 4 pm on Friday, in the presence of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) personnel.
Tamabil Immigration Police In-Charge SI Md. Shamim Mia said the returnees were later handed over to their families after completion of legal formalities.
According to sources at Tamabil Immigration Police, the individuals were arrested by Indian BSF and police at different times for illegally crossing the border into India.
They were subsequently tried in court and sentenced to serve in prison.
After completing their sentences in Tura Jail, located in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya state, they were sent back following a formal request by Bangladeshi authorities.