BGB repatriates Sonali Khatun, pushed back by India in June

BGB and BSF monograms

Dhaka, Dec 5 -The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Friday handed over the much-discussed pregnant Indian woman Sonali Khatun and her family to the Border Security Force (BSF), taking the humanitarian issue into account.

The formal handover took place at 7:30 pm at Sonamasjid ICP in Chapainawabganj through a flag meeting, where the woman and her eight-year-old son Md Sabbir Sheikh were transferred safely and securely, said a media release sent from the BGB-59 Battalion.

The 35-week pregnant Sonali along with two minor children was among six Indian nationals forcibly pushed into Bangladesh by the BSF on June 25 this year through Kurigram border.

Upon entering Chapainawabganj, local law enforcement detained them. On August 22, the court sent them to jail but considering humanitarian grounds, the court on December 2 ordered their release under local custody and directed their repatriation through diplomatic channels.

Recognising the humanitarian risk and international law violations involved in the pushback, the Ministry of Home Affairs and BGB headquarters engaged in intensive diplomatic communication. Both governments agreed on the repatriation, leading to safe and dignified handover.

After the handover, Lt Col Golam Kibria, commanding officer of the Mohananda Battalion, told reporters that the BSF’s inhumane pushback constitutes a clear violation of international human rights standards and bilateral border management agreements.

He said such actions have long created humanitarian crises in border areas and obstructed cooperative border management. - UNB