Pushed to Bangladesh, Bengal residents Sunali Khatun and her son brought back to India after six months on Friday, December 5, 2025. Photo credit: X/PTI
Sunali Khatun, the pregnant woman from West Bengal who was allegedly pushed into Bangladesh five months ago, returned to India on Friday (December 5, 2025).
She entered the country with her minor child through the Malda district on the India–Bangladesh border, following intervention by the Supreme Court. Ms. Khatun, in advanced stage of pregnancy, and her child were among a group of six migrants from two families detained by the Delhi Police in June on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals and allegedly forced into the country. The remaining four members of the group, all residents of Birbhum district in West Bengal, are also expected to return soon as the Supreme Court has ordered their repatriation as well.
The plight of the members of two families came to fore when days after the alleged “push back”, they released a video message urging West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for their repatriation from Bangladesh.
“Finally, after a long battle against the Bangla-Birodhi Zamindars, Sunali Khatun and her minor son have returned to India. This day will be remembered as a historic moment that exposes the torture and atrocities inflicted on poor Bengalis,” Samirul Islam, Trinamool Congress MP and chairperson of West Bengal Migrant Welfare Board, posted on social media.
Mr. Islam, who was instrumental in highlighting the plight of the woman, said Ms. Khatun was deported in June. “After enduring six months of unimaginable suffering, she and her child have at last returned to their homeland,” he said.
According to West Bengal government officials, Ms. Khatun is unwell and will be provided treatment at a State-run facility. She will travel to her home in Birbhum after treatment.
The group, including two women — Ms. Khatun and Sweety Bibi — and the latter’s two sons had to spend time behind bars in Bangladesh after the alleged “push back”.
On December 3, the Union government agreed to bring Ms. Khatun and her minor son back from Bangladesh on “humanitarian grounds” after the Supreme Court’s intervention.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi acquiesced to a request made by the woman’s father, Bhodu Sekh, represented by senior advocate Sanjay R. Hegde, to bring the mother and child to his home at Paikar village in Birbhum.
The Calcutta High Court on September 26 had directed the repatriation of the six people from two families.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Reetobrata Mitra gave this direction while deciding two writ petitions filed by Mr. Sheikh and Amir Khan.
Ms. Khatun is not the first person to be repatriated to West Bengal after the intervention of courts. Amir S.K., a migrant worker from Malda, was among those who had returned to India after allegedly being pushed into Bangladesh.
Earlier this year, several migrant workers from West Bengal were being detained in different parts of the country on suspicions of being Bangladesh nationals, and were pushed into the country.
Published – December 05, 2025 09:40 pm IST
