19 girls return home after jail terms in India

Nineteen teenaged Bangladeshi girls were returned home from India through the Benapole check-post on Wednesday night, after languishing in jail there for two years.

Petrapole Immigration Police on the Indian side handed them over to Bangladesh authorities through Benapole check-post around 6:30 pm.

The returnees are-Kakoli Khatun, Sima Begum, Shampa Khatun, Swapna Akter, Doly Akter, Bina Khatun, Mira Begum, Rupali Khatun, Hosne Ara, Shahinur Begum, Sharmin Akter, Aklima Begum, Aduri Khatun, Manira Khatun, Hazera Khatun, Shapla Begum, Hazera Akter, Rekha and Kulsum.

They hailed from different parts of Khulna, Narsingdi, Comilla, Jamalpur, Jessore, Pirojpur, Bagerhat, Brahmanbaria, Rangpur, Narail, Chandpur and Madaripur districts.

Omar Sharif, officer in-charge of Benapole check-post immigration, said human traffickers sent them to the neighbouring country at different times alluring them with offers of good jobs there.

But Indian police arrested them from different areas of Mumbai on charges of trespassing, and produced before a court which sent them to jail.

On completion of their jail terms, they were handed over to an Indian NGO, the Rescue Foundation, which worked with the home ministries of both countries to arrange their repatriation.

Source: unb