Nearly a year after being suspected of illegal infiltration and pushed into Bangladesh, Bengali migrant worker Sweety Bibi and four others from Paikar village in Birbhum district have returned to India. Among the returnees is Danesh Sheikh, the husband of another worker, Sonali Bibi, who had previously come back to India in December last year. Sweety Bibi, her two minor children, and Danesh Sheikh re-entered India through the Mahadipur border in Malda district, bringing relief to their families.
Government officials revealed that Sweety Bibi and Sonali Bibi had been residing in Delhi for work before being detained by Delhi Police in June last year on suspicion of illegal infiltration. They were then sent to Bangladesh through the Assam border, where they faced imprisonment until legal proceedings were initiated through the Calcutta High Court and later pursued in the Supreme Court. After a prolonged legal battle, Sonali Bibi returned to India in December last year, followed by Sweety Bibi, her children, and Danesh Sheikh nearly a year later.
The families of Sweety Bibi and Sonali Bibi claimed that despite being Indian citizens, they were wrongly pushed into Bangladesh. They expressed gratitude for the legal battle that led to their return, emphasizing the importance of justice prevailing. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam shared on social media the relief felt by the people of Birbhum upon their return, highlighting the victory of truth and justice. He also mentioned the Supreme Court’s order on May 22 for the immediate return of those stranded in Bangladesh, noting the delayed but eventual triumph of justice.
