India hands over 30 trafficked teenagers to Bangladesh

The Indian Immigration Police has returned 30 Bangladeshi teenagers who were trafficked to India through the Benapole International Checkpost. Among the returnees are 19 boys and 11 girls.

They were handed over to Bangladesh authorities through the Benapole Checkpost Immigration on Wednesday (November 19).

Rekha Biswas, Program Officer of the National Women's Lawyers Association, said that although the cases of each of the returnees are different, in most cases, brokers illegally trafficked them into India through various border routes by luring them with good jobs. While roaming around in search of work in India, they were detained by the police in various states including West Bengal on charges of illegal entry. After being produced in court, they were sentenced to various terms and sent to prison.

After their sentences, Indian human rights organizations kept them in shelter homes. Later, they got the opportunity to return to the country through travel passes initiated by the High Commissions of the two countries and the Home Ministry.

Four of the returnees said their parents are still in jail in India. With the help of the shelter home, their addresses were collected and they were sent to Bangladesh. Three teenage girls from Alipur village in Satkhira said: “Our mothers are still in jail in India, we don’t know when they will be released.”

Benapole Check Post Immigration OC Sakhawat Hossain said that the returnees were initially handed over to Benapole Port Police Station. They will then be handed over to human rights organizations to take them home.

Benapole Port Police Station OC Mamun Shah said that the teenagers were handed over to three human rights organizations on Wednesday night.