Five Bangladeshi children who served two and a half month’s jail term in India on charge of intrusion cannot return to their mothers’ lap for procedural complications.
They are now passing days in captivity at Tora Observation Homes, a correction centre in Meghalaya state of the neighboring country, after completion of the jail term.
Sources said the matter of their return has got stuck in complicities resulting from error in identification of one of the children.
Anxious about the delay, family members of the children have urged the authorities concerned of the government to take necessary steps to bring them back home at the earliest.
The captive children are Bacchu Mia, 12, son of Babul Mia of Aynapur village in Jhenigati upazila; Aktaruzzaman Chhoton, 13, a class-VI student of Uttara Public High School in the capital and son of Abdus Samad of Jagodal village in Hosenpur upazila of Kishoreganj district; Sujon Mia,14, son of Moti Mia of Chalitamari village in Barguna district; Akash Hossain,14, son of Osman Sheikh of Bhanga upazila in Faridpur district; and Mostakim Sheikh, 11, a madrasah student and son of Jakir Sheikh of Mongla upazila in Bagerhat district.
Quoting family sources, Border Guard Bangladesh and police said these five children, who were residents of Dakkhin Khan in the capital, were involved in various professions.
They formed a band of dance and
used to perform dance and songs at several places during free time in exchange of money.
They all had gone to Aynapur village in Jhenigati on the occasion of marriage of Bacchu’s sister in February this year.
A tribal man there promising them better income opportunity with dancing in India, took the five children to a bordering area and managed to escape after taking mobile phone sets and cash from them tactfully.
At one stage, the children entered the Indian territory unknowingly.
Apprehending danger, they sought help from the locals who advised them to surrender to local police camp.
Later, they went to the Purkashia BSF camp in Tora district that sent them to Tora Observation Homes.
An Indian court sentenced them to two and a half months’ jail for illegally entering the country’s territory.
Upon completion of the jail term, they were taken to Killapara BSF camp along Nakugaon border in Nalitabari upazila on June 2 to be sent back to their country.
When the BGB men failed to cross match the identity of one child, the children were again sent to Tora Observation Homes.
Abdus Saman, father of victim Aktaruzzaman, said “As my son has remained missing since February 12, I filed a case with Dakkhin Khan Police Station. Later I came to know that my son along with six others were at Tora Observation Homes.”
“Later we informed the matter to BGB and after consulting BSF men, we became sure about their whereabouts.”
Breaking into tears, he said, “I am a day labourer. Aktaruzzaman is my youngest son. I want to get back my son. Seeking help from the government, I sent a letter to Foreign Ministry on July 8. The official concerned of the ministry said they would look into the matter.”
“I don’t know when I’ll get the happy news,” he added.
Al Amin, a garment worker and brother of Bacchu Mia, said, “My mother had died eight months back. Now I have lost my brother. As we have been living in Dhaka since boyhood, Bacchu had no idea about the village.”
Contacted, BGB-27 Battalion Hatipagar Camp Commander Subedar Ashraf Ali said the children would be brought back after confirming identity of one of them.
“For this, we are keeping contact with the high officials concerned of the home ministry,” he added.
Assistant sub-inspector of Sherpur Nakugaon land port immigration camp Ramprashad said, “We are sure about the identity of the child. But due to procedural complication, we have failed to bring back the children. We hoped that they would be back home soon.”
Source: UNBConnect
