Balurghat: A 17-year-old Bangladeshi minor boy, who was nabbed about one-and-a-half-years ago for illegally crossing the border and entering India, was sent back to his homeland by the police here on Monday.
The boy was caught from Trimohini area by the officers of Hili police station in South Dinajpur. He was kept in Suvayan, a juvenile correctional home, in Balurghat, on the basis of the verdict given by the court.
According to a police source, on December 30, 2017, the minor boy who belonged to Sylhet in Bangladesh was caught in Trimohini while entering from Haripukur by Hili police.
Police said he sneaked through the unfenced areas of Hili under compulsion of extreme poverty.
"The boy entered the Indian side with the help of a linkman in search of shelter and job. His father passed away a few years ago. His elder brother has been working in Oman over the past few years. He has five sisters and two of them got recently married," said Suraj Das, who is a member of South Dinajpur Child Welfare Committee.
Das said the boy was kept in the juvenile correctional home since January 1, 2018, adhering to the court order. Recently, the court directed Suvayan to contact officials concerned in Bangladesh and make arrangements for his return.
The boy said: "I entered India through the Hili border area with the help of a linkman in search of work but as I had no valid document, I was nabbed by the police. Recently, the court ordered to send me back to my homeland. I am very happy to return back."
Firoj Kabir, an official of immigration department of Bangladesh, said: "We had a word with the BSF high officials posted on Hili International border and Indian government officials to get the minor boy back home. His parents are worried and we are happy that the Indian government responded positively to our appeal."
Notably, the law
enforcers have asked the mobile taskforce to coordinate with the BSF and keep close vigil, especially in areas where there is no fencing.