DHAKA (Oct 11) — A court in Bangladesh is set to indict a pregnant Indian woman and three others for allegedly entering the country illegally, a move that could enable their repatriation to India after spending nearly four months in jail, officials said on Saturday.
Chief Public Prosecutor for Chapai Nawabganj, M Abdul Wadud, told PTI that Senior Judicial Magistrate Ashraful Haque has scheduled October 23 for the hearing on the charge framing against Sonali Khatun, the pregnant woman, and three other Indian nationals, along with two infants.
“They have been languishing in jail for the past four months,” Wadud said, adding that if the accused plead guilty, it would likely pave the way for their repatriation. He confirmed that they are “likely to plead guilty” during the upcoming hearing.
According to Bangladeshi officials, the group was pushed into Bangladesh by Indian law enforcement agencies, who suspected them of being Bangladeshi citizens attempting to re-enter India illegally. Local authorities detained them shortly after they were found in the northwestern district of Chapai Nawabganj, which borders India’s West Bengal.
The case has drawn attention from both countries, with rights groups urging authorities to expedite their repatriation given the woman’s pregnancy and the presence of young children.