A 68-year-old woman from Assam, India, who was allegedly pushed into Bangladesh by the Border Security Force (BSF), has been granted bail in a case filed under the Control of Entry Act for entering the country without valid documents.
Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Zakir Hossain today granted bail to Sakina Begum, a resident of Barkura village in Assam's Nalbari district, placing her in the custody of Jakia Begum, who had sheltered her in Dhaka's Mirpur for about four months, said defence lawyer Rahmatullah Siddique.
Sakina was detained by Bhashantek police on September 25 after a BBC Bangla report on her went viral. In the report, Sakina and her family alleged that India's BSF personnel had forcibly pushed her to cross the border.
The following day, a case was filed against her by Sheikh Md Ali Sony, a sub-inspector of Bhashantek Police Station. She was produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court and sent to jail.
Court records show she was denied bail three times between October 16 and November 10.
According to the case statement, Sakina was found near Tekpara alley in Bhashantek on September 25. She could speak some Bangla, but she was unable to produce a passport or visa. Police also alleged that she could not explain how she had entered Bangladesh or reached Bhashantek in Dhaka.