‘Who will look after my son?’: Bengal woman detained in Mumbai, sent across Bangladesh border

Shaheda Fakir, a 40-year-old resident of West Bengal who has lived in Navi Mumbai for 20 years, was detained on July 18 by police on suspicion of being an "illegal Bangladeshi infiltrator". She resides in Sanpada with her husband Jumman Fakir, a housing society caretaker, and their 13-year-old son, a Class 7 student. The family, originally from Swarupnagar in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, has faced this issue before, as their elder son works as a mobile phone repair technician.

Upon her detention, Shaheda was taken to a detention center in Chembur, where she presented various identity proofs, including her birth certificate, school certificate, her parents' land deed, and other documents. Despite this, three days later, she was allegedly pushed across the border into Bangladesh. Upon reaching Bangladesh, she found shelter with a local family in Satkhira, where she recounted her ordeal, expressing her desire to return home and her concerns about her son's care.

Shaheda's family is now preparing to take legal action against the government, seeking her repatriation. This incident is reminiscent of similar cases involving other West Bengal residents who were mistakenly pushed into Bangladesh and later repatriated after lengthy legal battles.