Indian BSF returns 74 trafficking victims

A total of 74 women have returned to Bangladesh from India through the Benapole border after serving 2-to-5-year prison terms for illegal entry.

Benapole checkpost’s immigration police Inspector Aslam Khan said, “The Indian Border Security Force handed them over to the Bangladeshi authorities on Thursday evening.”

Representatives of Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), Immigration Police, human rights organisation ‘Rights’ and the Bangladesh National Women Lawyer Association were present at the time of the transfer.

“They were reeled in with offers of good jobs and taken to India. They were caught by Indian police when they were looking around for work. The Indian courts sentenced them to 2-5 years in prison for illegal entry.”

They were given refuge by Mumbai-based Rescue Foundation after their sentences ran their terms.

Benapole Port police OC Apurba Hasan told bdnews24.com: “After completing legal procedures, 31 of them were handed over to the BNWL’s Jessore unit, while the rest were handed over to Rights.”
 
“They will handle the remaining work, including returning them home.”

Binoykrishna Mallik, executive director of Rights’ Jessore wing, said they were brought back with special ‘travel permits’ issued by India. 

The organisation’s information and investigations officer, Toufiquzzaman, said, the trafficking victims hailed from Jessore, Narail, Satkhira, Khulna, Dhaka, Bagerhat, Barisal, Cox’s Bazar and Chittagong.

Salma Khatun, the local BNWLA coordinator, promised assistance if the victims were to file cases against the traffickers.