Twenty-two Bangladeshi citizens, including five women, returned to the country on Friday after completing prison sentences in India for illegal entry.
The group was handed over by Indian officials at the Tamabil immigration checkpoint in Gowainghat upazila of Sylhet around 4 p.m. Authorities from both sides, including the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), India’s Border Security Force (BSF), and immigration police, were present during the formal transfer.
The returnees had been held at Tura Jail in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, where they served varying sentences imposed by Indian courts.
“After serving long sentences, the 22 Bangladeshi nationals were officially transferred by Indian authorities,” said Sub-Inspector Md Shamim Mia, in charge of Tamabil immigration police. “Following initial legal formalities, they were released into the custody of their respective relatives.”
The individuals had been detained at different times by Indian law enforcement and border forces after allegedly crossing into Indian territory without valid documentation. According to police, the arrests were made under standard border control enforcement, and repatriation was arranged following official requests from the Bangladeshi government.
The list of returnees includes:
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From Netrokona: Piyush Talukder (60), Shuvendu Sarkar Talukder (26), Roni Talukder (27), Mitu Talukder (15), Panna Talukder (19), Saraswati Mohanayak, Swapno Mohanayak (8), Sejuti Mohanayak Jhinuk (11), Narayan Mohanayak, Pronoy Saha (46), and Uday Das (25)
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From Rajshahi: Md Kawsar Ali (17) and Md Nur Amin (15)
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From Sylhet: Marzan Hossain (17) from Gowainghat; Md Islam Uddin (25) from Companiganj; Ikramur Rahman Sayem (16) from Beanibazar; Mobarak Hossain (17) from Airport
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From Sunamganj: Poppy Rani (16)
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From Mymensingh: Shahriya Ahmed Shawon (15)
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From Bogra: Md Hasan Ali (30)
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From Jessore: Kashfiyatun Nur (17)
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From Jamalpur: Md Shamim (35)
All were allowed to return to their families after the completion of standard legal checks.
For some, the journey was about seeking work or visiting relatives. Others might have simply misjudged the risks. Either way, crossing borders without permission rarely ends well.
No one from the group gave public statements after their return, and it’s unclear how long each had been held. But the quiet reunion at Tamabil marked the end of what must have been a difficult stretch for all involved.
Authorities are holding up these cases as a heartbreaking cautionary tale. They want to make one thing painfully clear: trying to cross the border illegally doesn’t just put you at risk of getting arrested. The true price, they warn, is often paid long before you ever see a courtroom.
They’re hoping to raise awareness within communities so that young people understand the full picture—because even if you succeed in crossing, there’s a heavy price to pay on the road back.
