Agartala, February 6:Twelve Bangladeshi nationals, including six women and one minor, who were detained in India for illegally entering the country, were repatriated to Bangladesh from Tripura through the Agartala integrated check-post on Tuesday, informed Arif Mohammed, Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Agartala and who was present during the repatriation process.
He expressed gratitude towards the governments of Tripura and India, as well as the External Affairs Minister of Bangladesh, for facilitating the repatriation.
The Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh described the moment as a joyous occasion for the returnees and their families.
Hasna Begum, one of the deportees, explained that they entered India in search of employment without proper documents, resulting in a four-month jail term followed by ten months of residence in a shelter.
Mohammed Reaz Hossain, another deportee, recounted their ordeal of being arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF), enduring police mistreatment, and waiting for over 15 months to return to their homeland.
Both Begum and Hossain admitted to being lured by brokers promising lucrative job opportunities in India back in 2022.
They expressed relief and happiness at the prospect of reuniting with their families in Bangladesh.
Meantime, despite more than 90 percent of the 856 kilometres long international border between Tripura-Bangladesh have been fenced, infiltration has been a major concern with regular arrests of foreigners – Bangladeshi and Rohingyas in Tripura which is considered a corridor for illegal infiltration.
