'Tortured, blindfolded' and left in Sundarbans by BSF: Returnees recount events, demand rescue of families
Several of them displayed signs of beating, including black marks and wounds on their backs and waists
Seventy-eight individuals, who were left inside the Sundarbans' Bangladesh border by Indian border forces, have alleged severe physical and mental abuse during their detention in India.
Several of them displayed signs of beating, including black marks and wounds on their backs and waists.
The individuals, rescued by the Forest Department and Coast Guard from the Mandarbaria area in Satkhira, recounted being blindfolded, tied up, and transported by plane and ship before being abandoned at midnight on 9 May.
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The group had been detained during a late-night raid on 26 April in Gujarat, where many had been living for years for work.
According to their accounts, Indian authorities demolished their slum settlements and forcibly separated them from their families.
Victims describe abuse in detention
One of the individuals, Fuad Sheikh from Narail, said they were picked up shortly before dawn during Fajr prayers and taken to a police station.
"On 5 May, our eyes were blindfolded, our hands tied, and we were put on a plane. After a day like that, we were taken by ship, severely beaten, and then dumped at sea around midnight," he said.
He added that his wife and three daughters remain in Gujarat and appealed to the government to bring them back.
Afjal Mridha from Narail and his son Rahat, both waste collectors in Ahmedabad, said they were picked up from their slum on the same day.
"We were beaten every day. They called us Bangladeshis as an insult. We were only given a biscuit and half a glass of water in the morning and a piece of stale bread in the afternoon," Afjal said.
He and others said they were beaten most severely while being transferred from the plane to the ship.
Abu Bakkar from Kalia in Narail said, "They have put India's seal on us," pointing to dark bruises on his lower back.
According to him and others, the attackers claimed they were acting on "Delhi's orders."
Authorities confirm pushback and torture claims
According to Coast Guard West Zone Commander Lieutenant Colonel Abrar, Indian authorities pushed the group into Bangladeshi territory via the Mandarbaria coast on 9 May.
"We rescued them the next day and handed them over to police. Ten of them were seriously ill and have been given medical attention," he said.
He added that the victims described their slums being bulldozed, torture in front of family members, and repeated verbal abuse based on their nationality and religion.
After being blindfolded and split between aircraft, they were later put on a ship where they claimed the abuse continued.
Pleas to be reunited with family
Several returnees expressed deep concern for family members left behind.
Harun Sheikh, who had lived in India for 37 years, said he was picked up without warning, leaving behind his wife and eight children in Gujarat.
"Some of my children are studying in madrashas. I do not know how they are doing. I will never go to India again. If the government helps me get them back, I can die in peace," he said.
Zahid Sheikh, another returnee, said his wife and five children remain in Gujarat.
"Two daughters have been married there. I do not know what has happened to my wife and other children either," he said, adding that he would never return to India but is desperate for his family's safety.
Why only three detained for illegal entry
Of the 78 individuals rescued, 75 were released to their families in Bangladesh after verification today (13 May).
However, three young men—Abdur Rahman, 20, Md Hasan Shah, 22, and Saiful Sheikh, 19—have been charged with illegal entry and sent to jail.
Though their parents are Bangladeshi, the Coast Guard identified them as Indian citizens because they were born in Gujarat and have no Bangladeshi documentation.
However, the three did not have any Indian documentation either.
Confirming that a case has been filed against the three, Satkhira Superintendent of Police Monirul Islam stated that if their families can provide appropriate documents, the investigation will proceed accordingly.
"Otherwise, they will be treated as Indian nationals, and steps will be taken to contact the Indian authorities for their repatriation," he added.
The remaining 75 are believed to be Bangladeshi citizens, mostly from Narail, Jashore, Khulna, Dhaka, and Satkhira districts.
