Staff Reporter :
The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has handed over 15 Bangladeshi nationals, including women and children, to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) following their voluntary surrender at Hakimpur camp in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
The repatriation took place on Thursday around 8:30 pm at the zero point of Taluigachha border in Satkhira Sadar upazila during a flag meeting between BGB and BSF officials.
Later around 10:15 pm, the detainees were handed over to Satkhira Sadar police station.
The meeting was attended by Taluigachha BOP Commander Abul Kashem from BGB’s 33 Battalion and BSF’s Amudia Company Commander Inspector Dibyajyoti Doli, along with members of both border forces.
The detainees hail from different areas of Satkhira, Khulna, and Pirojpur districts. They include families with young children, such as 6-year-old Mahera Akter, 13-year-old Mina, and 2-year-old Mafuza’s son.
According to BGB sources, the group was detained by BSF on Tuesday night near the Hakimpur check post for illegally entering India. After being kept in custody for two days, they were formally returned to Bangladesh authorities.
Police later verified the identities of the returnees. Out of 15, fourteen were released to their families the same night, while one detainee, identified as Abdullah Gazi of Shyamnagar, remains in police custody pending further verification.
Abdullah Gazi admitted that he had been living in India for the past 16 months, working as a day labourer in the Newtown-Rajarhat area of Kolkata. He, along with others, decided to return voluntarily amid intensified crackdowns by Indian police.
Satkhira Sadar Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shaminul Haque confirmed the development to the media, saying, “BSF handed over 15 Bangladeshis to BGB, who later brought them to the police station. After verification, 14 were released to their relatives, and the last one will be handed over once family members arrive.”
Earlier on Thursday, during a joint press briefing at the BGB Headquarters after concluding the four-day (25-28) long ’56th Director General level Border Conference between BGB and BSF’, DG BSF Daljit Singh Chaudhary said the Indian government is following the proper process to send back Bangladeshi living illegally in India.
