India to repatriate 9 B’deshi teenagers through Petrapole

Jalpaiguri: Nine Bangladeshi teenagers who were apprehended last year after illegally entering India are set to be repatriated to Bangladesh on February 17 with administrative assistance. The minors had been detained by the Border Security Force (BSF) while attempting to cross the border with their families and have since been residing in shelter homes in Jalpaiguri district.

According to official sources, the group comprises six boys and three girls, all aged between 12 and 14 years. Following their detention under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, the children were placed in care facilities, while their guardians were lodged at the Jalpaiguri Central Correctional Home. The boys were housed at the government-run Korok Home, and the girls at a private shelter home in Jalpaiguri town, in accordance with due legal procedures.

The teenagers were reportedly intercepted at various border points, including Changrabandha in Cooch Behar district. Some families had allegedly crossed into India citing persecution in Bangladesh, while others entered in search of livelihood opportunities in metropolitan cities such as Delhi and Mumbai. Instead, they were detained soon after entry.

After nearly a year in custody, the minors will now return to Bangladesh along with their parents. They will be handed over to representatives of the Bangladesh government through the Petrapole border. Several other Bangladeshi nationals from different districts of West Bengal are also scheduled to be repatriated on the same day.

While the prospect of reunion has brought relief, some families remain apprehensive about their future. A few claim to have previously faced violence and uncertainty in their homeland and expressed concern over their safety upon return.

Shama Parveen, District Magistrate of Jalpaiguri, confirmed the development. “The process has begun to send back six boys and three girls to their homes in Bangladesh from one government-run and one private home in the district,” she said. The state administration, in coordination with central authorities and the Bangladesh High Commission, is overseeing the repatriation process.