Pregnant Bengal Woman’s Return From Bangladesh Sparks Relief And Renewed Pleas

A sense of profound relief swept through Paikar village in West Bengal after the return of 32-year-old Sunali Khatun, who arrived back in India with her eight-year-old son following a directive from the Supreme Court of India. Her homecoming after several months in detention in Bangladesh has, however, highlighted the anguish of another family whose daughter, Sweety Bibi, remains stranded along with two of her children.

According to relatives, both women had been living and working in New Delhi when they were detained during a police operation in June targeting people suspected of being foreign nationals without documentation. Sunali, her husband, her son and daughter, along with Sweety and her two sons, were subsequently transferred to Assam and then taken across the border under an order issued by Delhi’s Foreigners Regional Registration Office.

Bangladeshi authorities arrested the group in August, and a court in Chapai Nawabganj later granted them bail. Despite this, only Sunali and her minor son were allowed to return to India last week, a decision that has intensified the distress of Sweety’s family. The Calcutta High Court had earlier directed that all six deportees be brought back, citing procedural problems in the original deportation process, but that ruling was challenged before the Supreme Court.

On 3 December, the Supreme Court instructed the Indian government to repatriate Sunali because of her advanced pregnancy and to ensure she received medical care. The court is expected to examine Sweety’s case separately on 12 December, according to the West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Welfare Board.

Sunali was escorted through the integrated check post at Mahadipur in Malda district late on Friday. She was taken first to Malda Medical College and Hospital for examination and then transferred to Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital in Birbhum, where she is expected to remain until she gives birth.

Speaking from her hospital bed, she described the months spent in a Bangladeshi correctional facility as extremely difficult. She said she had been held in a solitary cell and was uncertain about the whereabouts of her husband, who was detained separately. “It was a torture living in a solitary cell,” she told the Press Trust of India, adding that she feared for other members of the group who had not been able to return.

Local officials familiar with the case said Sunali’s two children who remained in India during her detention have been allowed to stay with her at the hospital. Her daughter, who had been cared for by grandparents, was reunited with her mother for the first time in months, according to witnesses.

Crowds gathered in Paikar village on Saturday to greet Sunali as she passed briefly through her home area on the way to the hospital. Many residents carried Indian flags, reflecting what local leaders described as support for her return and frustration at the circumstances that led to the deportations. Some officials in the state government have described the repatriation as the result of a protracted legal effort involving state authorities and lawyers acting on behalf of the families.

Sunali’s father said the past months had been filled with uncertainty as the family waited for clarity from the courts and government agencies regarding her return. Relatives said they were relieved she had been repatriated before giving birth but remained anxious about the fate of her husband, as well as Sweety and her children.

In another part of Birbhum district, the atmosphere was markedly different. Sweety’s family said they had been assured several times in recent months that she would be brought back soon, but that no date had been confirmed. Her mother said her grandson, who lives with her, repeatedly asked why his aunt had returned while his own mother had not. The family explained that Sweety had been the main income-earner since her husband went missing four years ago while working in southern India.

Officials from the state’s Migrant Workers’ Welfare Board said they remained hopeful that the Supreme Court would order the repatriation of the remaining detainees at the next hearing. They noted that the Calcutta High Court had previously required that all six people deported from Delhi be returned, and that lawyers would continue to argue the case.

Context

The case has drawn attention to India’s procedures for verifying citizenship and dealing with individuals suspected of lacking documentation. While authorities say checks are necessary for security and administrative purposes, the detentions have raised concerns among some political groups and civil society organisations, particularly when individuals claim to possess Indian documents.

The episode has also highlighted the challenges faced by migrant workers from rural districts who travel within India for employment. Many families in Birbhum rely on income sent home by relatives working in major cities, and disputes over identity and documentation can have profound effects on their livelihoods.

As Sunali prepares for childbirth under medical supervision, both her family and that of Sweety continue to await further decisions from the courts. For now, one household in Birbhum is experiencing relief, while another watches for any sign that their daughter might cross the border back into India.