Govt of India 'not interested' in bringing back 3 jailed Assam residents from Bangladesh

Counterview Desk
Kirity Roy, secretary, Hooghly-based rights group, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), in a letter to the the secretary, Union external affairs ministry, has sought immediate action for taking back three Indian citizens "blocked" in Bangladesh prison after completing their conviction period.
The three -- Md Akbar Ali, Golzar Hussain and Jahangir Alam -- entered separately into the territory of Bangladesh without valid passports, and cases were registered in Bangladesh in this regard against them. They were convicted, and their jail term ended some time late last year-early this year.
Claiming that the authorities are "not at all sympathetic towards timely disposal of the repatriation and bring them back to their homeland", the Roy said, sources in Bangladesh had told him that they will be released any moment as and when the Indian government approaches with "all necessary papers and documents", yet no nothing is happening.

Text:

With great anguish I write this letter to you for taking your positive and urgent action in connection with taking back or repatriation of three Indians namely -
(i) Md. Taiyab Ali, aged about 19 years, son of Md. Akbar Ali, residing at village Dipchar (Kanaimara Pt. II), P.S. South Salmara, the then district Dhubri now South Salmara Mankachar, in the state of Assam, India.
(ii) Mr. Golzar Hussain, aged about 21 years, son of Mr. Samser Ali, residing at village Dipchar (Kanaimara Pt. II), P.S. South Salmara, the then district Dhubri now South Salmara Mankachar in the state of Assam, India.
(iii) Md. Jahangir Alam, aged about 19 years, son of Md. Akherjaman @ Amirul; residing at village Kanaimara Pt. I, P.S. South Salmara, the then district Dhubri now South Salmara Mankachar in the state of Assam, India.
These three Indians are languishing still in prison of Kurigram District Jail in Bangladesh despite completing their conviction period.
These three above-mentioned Indian citizens entered separately into the territory of Bangladesh without valid passports. Two separate cases have been registered in Bangladesh in this regard.
In connection with the first and second victim, one case has been registered vide GR case number 46/21 where Md. Taiyab Ali and Mr. Golzar Hossain have been charged under section 4 of the Bangladesh Control of Entry Act,1952. Judicial Magistrate (4th Court), Kurigram sentenced him to ten months conviction and fine of Rs. 1000/- and ten days more imprisonment for non-payment of the fine. Their term of conviction expired on 01.02.2022
In the second instance on 18.10.2020 Md. Jahangir Alam was apprehended by the Bangladesh police for entering into the Bangladesh territory without any valid passport or visa. One case has been registered vide GR case number 211/2020 under section 4 of the Bangladesh Control of Entry Act, 1952. Judicial Magistrate (4th Court) Kurigram, sentenced him to three months conviction and fine Rs. 1000/- and 15 days more imprisonment for non-payment of the fine. His term of conviction expired on 19.01.2021.
Despite completing their term of sentence in jail these three Indians have been stuck in Bangladesh prison and till date they are not released. That means more than one year has passed; 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.

The three Indian citizens entered separately into the territory of Bangladesh without valid passports

Family members of these three victims sent one letter to the Superintendent of Police, South Salmara Mankachar district and requested to repatriate these above-mentioned people who are blocked in Bangladesh prison after completing their conviction period. On 20.09.2022 and 13.10.2022 the Superintendent of Police, Special Branch (EZ), Assam, Kahllipara, Guwahati sent two letters to the Superintendent of Police, District Special Branch, South Salmara, Assam from where it is revealed that the Government of Assam, Political (B) Department intimated that Md. Jahangir Alam, Mr. Golzar Hossain and Mr. Taiyab Ali are likely to be repatriated through Burimara/Changrabandha ICP of Cooch Behar, West Bengal but till date they are not come back into the Indian Territory. These three Indian citizens are illegally detained in the Bangladeshi jail after completing their conviction period. It is an attack upon their life and liberty.
We are guessing that those three victims are in degrading condition in jail as they are illegally detained as ‘Jaan Khalash’.
Here the case of those three victims indicate that the authorities of our government concerned are not at all sympathetic towards timely disposal of the repatriation and bring them back to their home land resulting in irreparable loss and injury to the victim’s life and liberty.
When we enquired, we came to know from Bangladesh that they will be released any moment, when the Indian Government approaches the Bangladesh authorities with all necessary papers and documents.
We strongly condemn such illegal detention of those victims in Bangladesh jail even after completion of their sentence period. We are guessing that these three victims are facing degrading treatment due to governmental acquiescence in Bangladesh jail as they are illegally detained.
Therefore, it is my fervent request to your good authority to kindly take urgent steps in this regard and bring back these victims to their homeland and save their right to life and liberty in this situation.

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