An Indian police authority sent a mother and her son back to Bangladesh through a travel permit at the Benapole checkpost, following allegations of illegal residence in India.

On Saturday (December 13) at around 6:00 pm, they were handed over to Petrapole Immigration Police at the Benapole Integrated Checkpost. The handover was witnessed by officials from the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB), Border Security Force (BSF), police from both countries, and representatives from human rights organizations.

The returning mother and son are Ruma Begum (39) from Gazipur village in Terokhada Upazila, Khulna, and her three-year-old child, Md. Misail Khalil Sheikh.

S.M. Sakhawat Hossain, Acting Officer-in-Charge of the Immigration Police, said that the mother and son were detained by Indian authorities three years ago for living illegally in India. After completing their sentence, they were handed over to Petrapole Immigration Police via a special travel permit on Saturday. Following verification of their documents, they were transferred to Benapole Port Police Station, and subsequently handed over to the human rights organization Justice and Care for safe return to their family.

Ruma Begum stated that she entered India illegally through a broker on the night of January 10, 2023. During her stay, she was arrested by Mumbai police. After serving her sentence, she was released into the custody of a safe home in Mumbai, where she engaged in handicraft work while residing there.