Bengali migrant workers return home after alleged pushback to Bangladesh

Kolkata, July 8 (IANS) Nearly a year after they were allegedly pushed into Bangladesh on suspicion of being infiltrators, Bengali migrant worker Sweety Bibi and four others from Paikar village in Birbhum district returned to India on Wednesday along with her two minor children.

Among those who returned was Danesh Sheikh, the husband of another migrant worker, Sonali Bibi. The family had alleged that they were pushed into Bangladesh from Assam after being detained on suspicion of being illegal infiltrators.

Sonali Bibi had returned to India in December last year. On Wednesday afternoon, her husband, Danesh Sheikh, along with four others, re-entered the country through the Mahadipur border in Malda district, bringing relief to their family members.

According to government officials, Sweety Bibi and Sonali Bibi had been living in Delhi with their families for work. In June last year, they were allegedly detained by the Delhi Police on suspicion of being illegal infiltrators and were subsequently pushed into Bangladesh through the Assam border.

They were imprisoned in Bangladesh for some time before legal proceedings were initiated through the Calcutta High Court and later pursued before the Supreme Court.

Following the legal battle, Sonali Bibi returned to India in December last year. Nearly a year later, Sweety Bibi, her two minor children and Danesh Sheikh have also returned.

The families alleged that Sweety Bibi and Sonali Bibi were pushed into Bangladesh despite being Indian citizens. They said the prolonged legal battle before the Supreme Court ultimately enabled Sweety Bibi and Danesh Sheikh to return home.

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam wrote on social media, “The end of the long legal battle, the joy of returning to the country. The victory of truth, the victory of justice! The tears in the eyes of those helpless people of Birbhum today are of relief, of the joy of returning to their homeland.”

He also wrote, “On May 22, the country’s highest court ordered the immediate return of those people stuck in Bangladesh. Although that order took some time to take effect, justice has finally triumphed today.”

–IANS

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