Tripura Man Back Home After 18 Months In Bangladesh Jail For Crossing Border

Pic courtesy Wikimedia

Agartala: A 24-year-old man from Tripura, who was arrested by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) for crossing into the neighbouring country, has returned home after a year and a half, police said on Monday.

Rohida Sarkar, a resident of Kailasahar area of Tripura’s Unakoti district, told police he left home in June 2022 after an argument with his parents. As he crossed the border, he was caught by the BGB and had been kept under detention since.

His family in Tripura had filed a missing complaint at a local police station.

Sarkar was finally deported after a Bangladeshi court ordered authorities to ensure his safe return.

The BGB handed Sarkar over to the Border Security Force (BSF), which then handed over his custody to Tripura police on December 23.

Sarkar was taken to his home by the police after formalities were completed.

Jail authorities in Bangladesh could get in touch with Sarkar’s family as he had a phone with him.

“My brother had a mobile phone with him and that’s how they could contact us. My brother suffered a lot in jail there,” said Sarkar’s sister, adding that there were other innocent people in prison like her brother and the government should take steps to get them back.

A Bangladesh journalist helped the Sarkar in judicial proceedings.