Tripura man returns home after serving 36 years in B’desh jail

A 62-year-old Indian on Tuesday returned to Tripura after serving 36 years in Bangladesh jail, officials said.

A police official said that Bangladesh Police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) handed over Shahjahan Mia alias Bilash to the Border Security Force (BSF) and Tripura police through the Srimantapur (Tripura, India) - Bibir Bazar (Bangladesh) integrated check post.

The official said that Shahjahan Mia went to Bangladesh without any passport or any valid document in 1988 to visit his maternal uncle in the Comilla district of the neighbouring country.

“Shahjahan Mia was arrested by the Bangladesh Police reportedly in a ‘false case’ as a trespasser and sent to jail through a local court. After his jail term was over after 11 years he was not released from the jail due to 'unknown reason',” the official told IANS, refusing to be named.

An Agartala-based foundation took the initiative to release Shahjahan Mia from Bangladesh jail and return to his home at Durgapur in bordering Sonamura sub-division under Sepahijala district.

His family has also earlier appealed to the Tripura government to take up his case with the Bangladesh government through the Indian government.

His family members said that local people in association with the Bangladesh Police had framed him in some cases.

Shahjahan Mia’s son Litan Mia, who was born at their house at Durgapur in Sonamura sub-division 13 days after his father’s arrest in Bangladesh, said that he saw his father for the first time on Tuesday.

A cheerful Shahjahan Mia said that he is very happy to return to his home after 36 years.

“After spending many years in Bangladesh jail, I never thought that I could return to my home in India. I am feeling my rebirth. I thanked all concerned who helped me to be released from Bangladesh jail and return to my family,” Shahjahan Mia told the media after crossing over the border.

He said that he was falsely accused of various charges and put into jail for almost 11 years and the Bangladesh Police did not release him even after his jail term was over.

He also alleged that during his arrest, the Bangladesh Police tortured him for several days.