A court in Assam on Saturday ordered the release of 25 Bangladeshi nationals who have been languishing in jail for breaching terms and conditions of visa.
SM Abraham Lingkon, convener Bangladesh-India Border Victim Rescue Committee, confirmed the information, saying the development came following a request from Bangladesh.
A Dhubri court relieved the 25 from the charges and ordered them to be released, Lingkon said quoting Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Guwahati Tanvir Mansur.
Hailing from Kurigram’s Chilmari upazila, they went to the neighbouring country on tourist visas and had been working as fishermen and farm workers.
On May 3, Police arrested 26 Bangladeshi nationals from Dhubri when they were on their way home. They intended to enter Bangladesh through Changrabandha check post.
Police filed a case against them alleging that the 26 flouted visa conditions being engaged in works though their visas do not allow them to do so. Since then, they have been languishing in jail.
One of them died in police custody on July 1.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh authorities took initiative to bring them home and requested their Indian counterpart over the issue.
Responding to the request, the Indian authorities decided to withdraw the case.UNB
