Wrongly Deported as Bangladeshis, Four Indian Muslims Return Home After 13 Months

09/07/2026

KOLKATA, Jul 9: Four Indian nationals, including a man who met his infant son for the first time, returned home on Wednesday after spending 13 months stranded in Bangladesh following their alleged wrongful deportation as illegal immigrants.

The group—Danish Sheikh, Sweety Bibi, and her two sons, Qurban (16) and Imam (6)—crossed into India through the Mahadipur border in West Bengal's Malda district, bringing an end to an ordeal that began in June 2025 when they were detained in Delhi and deported without a tribunal hearing after being mistakenly identified as Bangladeshi nationals.

Danish, a resident of Paikar village in Birbhum district, was reunited with his family, including his seven-month-old son whom he had never seen before. His wife, Sunali Khatun, who was pregnant when the couple was detained, had returned to India in December 2025 along with their elder son after the Supreme Court intervened and directed the Union government to facilitate their repatriation.

After Danish's return, Sunali prepared a simple welcome meal of rice, leafy greens and fish egg fritters as the family awaited the completion of border formalities.

The families had travelled to Delhi in search of work and were employed as ragpickers when they were allegedly detained by police despite possessing identity documents proving their Indian citizenship.

Following their deportation, Bangladeshi authorities in Chapai Nawabganj arrested the group for illegal entry into the country. They spent nearly 100 days in jail before a local court cleared them of any wrongdoing. However, bureaucratic delays left them stranded in Bangladesh for several more months.

During the ordeal, Sunali, who was in the final stages of pregnancy, gave birth to the couple's third child, Apan, on January 5.

"I haven't seen my son yet. It will be a moment of joy to hold him in my arms after all these months. I feel wonderful," Danish said shortly before leaving for his village.

Recalling the traumatic experience, he said, "I'm extremely happy to be back. It felt like an endless trauma. At one point, I became so depressed that I stopped talking to anyone, fearing I would have to spend the rest of my life in Bangladesh."

Danish said he has no plans to return to Delhi for work, while Sweety Bibi said she would remain in West Bengal and accept whatever work was available rather than risk migrating again.