Five Indians, all Muslims, 'illegally' languish in Bangladesh jail, await repatriation

By Our Representative
As many as six Indian citizens, all of them Muslims and aged around 20, have been languishing in Bangladesh prisons, even though five of them have completed their jail term, a senior human rights defender based in West Bengal has said, alleging, the Indian authorities have shown no sympathy towards towards their timely repatriation, resulting in "irreparable loss and injury" to the victims' life and liberty.
Bringing this to light, Kirity Roy, secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), and national convenor, Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI), has asked the chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to take "immediate action" for taking back five of those who have completed their conviction period.
Giving details of each of them, Roy, in a letter to the NHRC chairman, said, Mohammad Jalil Miya, 20, resident of Puran Kanai, Hat Singimari, Mainkarchar, Dhubri, Assam, was arrested on October 18, 2020 by the Bangladesh Police under section 4 of the Bangladesh Control of Entry Act, 1952. Judicial Magistrate, 4th Court, Kurigram, sentenced him for three months' conviction and fine Rs. 1000 and 15 days more imprisonment for non-payment of the fine. His term of conviction expired on January 3, 2021.
The second person is Nurujaman, resident of Kanaimara, Hat Singrimari, Dhubri, Assam, arrested on March 16, 2021 by Bangladesh Police, also under the same law. He was sentenced for 2 months and 15 days, and fine Rs. 1,000, and 10 days more imprisonment for non-payment of the fine. His term of conviction expired on June 9, 2021.
The third person is Mohammad Taiyab Ali, resident of Dipchwar, Dakshin Salmara, Dhubri, Assam. He was arrested on April 2, 2021, and was sentenced for 10 months' conviction and Rs 1,000, or 10 days more for non-payment of the fine. His term of conviction expired on February 1, 2022.
The fourth person is Mohammed Saha Alam, resident of Kanaimara, Hat Singimari, Mainkarchar, Dhubri, Assam. He was arrested on March 3, 2021, and was he was sentenced for 3 months' conviction and fine Rs 1,000 or 15 days more imprisonment for non-payment of the fine. His term expired on October 18, 2021
The fifth person is Mohammed Jahangir Alam, resident of at Kanaimara, Mainkarchak, Dhubri, Assam. He was arrested on October 18, 2020, and sentenced for 3 months' conviction and fine Rs 1000, and 15 days more imprisonment for non-payment of the fine. His term of conviction expired on January 19, 2021.
The letter says, "These five Indians have been stuck in Bangladesh prison after expiration of their term of conviction and till date they are not released. That means more than 2 to 15 months have passed in connection with the concerned cases, still they are in prison like Jaan Khalas. Their term of the conviction was ended but they were not released and repatriated to their homeland in India."
Calling these "illegal detentions", Roy says, it is an "attack upon their life and liberty", suspecting, these five victims have be subjected to "degrading human condition in jail as they are illegally detained". He regrets, in the case of these five victims, "The authorities concerned are not at all sympathetic towards timely disposal of the repatriation and bring back them to their homeland resulting in irreparable loss and injury to the victim’s life and liberty."
A sixth victim, says Roy, is Mohammed Harech Ali Babu, resident of Nilkhira Patua, Sukhchar, Dhubri, Assam, ho was arrested on October 18, 2021. He has been sentenced for one year conviction and a fine of Rs 2,000 or 15 days' more imprisonment for non-payment of the fine. His term of conviction will expired on October 17, 2022.
Insists Roy, the authorities should ensure, he is "repatriated to his own country without further any delay after expiration of his term of conviction."

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