Fri Oct 24 20:26:13 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text, written from an Indian perspective and suitable for publication in The Hindu:
Summary:
Despite a Calcutta High Court order issued four weeks prior, six Indian migrant workers, including a pregnant woman named Sunali Bibi, remain stranded in Bangladesh. The Trinamool Congress (TMC), the ruling party of West Bengal, is blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government for failing to execute the court’s repatriation order. Concerns are mounting regarding the health and well-being of the migrants, particularly Sunali Bibi, who is due to give birth soon. The TMC alleges the central government has neglected its constitutional duty and failed to provide assistance, leaving the migrants in limbo. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between the state and central governments regarding the issue of alleged forced deportation of Indian migrant workers into Bangladesh.
News Article:
Calcutta High Court Order Ignored: Stranded Migrant Workers, Including Pregnant Woman, Remain in Bangladesh
Kolkata, October 25, 2025: A month after the Calcutta High Court mandated the repatriation of six Indian migrant workers pushed into Bangladesh, the individuals, including the heavily pregnant Sunali Bibi, remain stranded across the border, sparking a political row between West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the central government.
The Calcutta High Court on September 26 directed authorities to bring the migrants back into India within four weeks. A Division Bench comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Reetobrata Mitra gave this direction based on a writ petition filed by Bhodu Sheikh and Amir Khan, relatives of the six migrants who were pushed back into Bangladesh.
The TMC has strongly criticized the BJP-led central government for allegedly failing to comply with the court order. “The deportation was wrong,” asserted Shashi Panja, West Bengal’s Minister of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare. “The central government did not take a single step to bring them back… They continued to try and label the six people as Bangladeshis, so they remain in Bangladesh.”
Rajya Sabha MP and Chairman of the Migrant Workers Welfare Board in West Bengal, Samirul Islam, echoed these concerns, stating that a Bangladeshi court has also determined the individuals are not Bangladeshi nationals and called for their return to India. “The Union Government led by BJP has forgotten to abide by the law or the constitution. They have failed to even work on a mandatory order passed by the Calcutta High Court and are letting a pregnant lady suffer,” Islam stated. He also expressed difficulty in maintaining contact with the migrants, raising fears for their well-being. Sunali Bibi, according to the latest reports, is still awaiting the birth of her child.
The plight of Sunali Bibi, her husband, and their child, alongside other migrants like Sweety Bibi and her sons, has amplified concerns about the nationality of Sunali’s unborn child. “What will be the nationality of my grandchild, if he is born in Bangladesh,” asked Mr. Sheikh, Sunali’s father.
This incident is the latest in a series of cases where migrant workers have allegedly been illegally pushed into Bangladesh. While some have been repatriated following court intervention, this case underscores the complexities and challenges involved in securing the safe return of Indian citizens from across the border and highlights the ongoing tensions between state and central authorities regarding immigration and border security. The delay in implementing the High Court’s order raises serious questions about the effectiveness of inter-governmental coordination and the safeguarding of the rights of vulnerable Indian citizens.
First Piper 