Six Bangladeshi inmates go on fast in Malda jail

“You will have to stay here until report from Bangladesh reaches us” 

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 20 APRIL: Six Bangladeshis went on a fast in Malda jail from today pretesting against jail authorities who are not allowing them to go back home even after their imprisonment period is over.

According to the superintendent of Malda jail, Mr C R Gharai, a total of 15 Bangladeshis were still behind bars for the past five months, though their imprisonment period had ended.

“Five months ago the court has issued an order to release them after the end of their imprisonment period. Though the repatriation process had begun, the verification report from Bangladesh government was yet to come. Due to this technical problem we cannot release the prisoners unofficially”, said Mr Gharai.

The Malda jail officials tried to convince the six Bangladeshis to call off their strike and eat but the prisoners decided to stick to their stand.

Malda jail officials even informed them that as soon as the Bangladesh government acknowledged their identity and sent the verification report of their citizenship they will be able to release all the 15 inmates.

“You will have to stay here until report from Bangladesh reaches us”, jail officials informed the agitators.

Mr Gharai has reported the matter to the district magistrate, superintendent of police, chief judicial magistrate and inspector general of prison.  

Jail officials said that many Bangladeshis were languishing in jails in north and south Bengal but their imprisonment period was over.

“Due to lack of verification report from the Bangladesh government, the Border Security Force is not interested in pushing them back”, the district magistrate Mr Sridhar Ghosh said.

Jail officials said government would not allow the push back system and it was very risky if the Bangladesh Rifles resisted them and opening fire along the border.

Without the verification report from the Bangladesh government police are not interested in handing over the prisoners to the BSF and BDR, they added.