148-indians-stuck-in-bangladesh-prisons-despite-serving-terms

Nearly 150 Indian nationals continue to remain in Bangladeshi prisons despite completing their jail terms, with delays in identity verification and repatriation procedures preventing their return home, officials said on Monday.

 

According to prison officials, 152 foreign nationals, including 148 Indians, are currently lodged in prisons across Bangladesh even though they have served their sentences. Many of them were convicted on charges related to illegal cross-border entry.

 

Officials said several inmates completed their terms years ago, but bureaucratic delays, diplomatic procedures and pending identity verification have prolonged their stay in prison.

 

News reports from Bangladesh's media houses highlighted the situation in the southwestern Shariatpur District Jail, where 17 Indian nationals remain incarcerated despite being eligible for release.

 

Prison authorities said the inmates cannot be repatriated because their identities have not yet been formally verified. Repeated efforts to obtain confirmation from the Indian side have not yielded results, according to the report.

 

Shariatpur jailer Papiya Sultana said 20 people were detained near the Padma Bridge in 2022 and 2023 and later sent to prison on court orders. Although most have completed their sentences, they continue to be held under the status of “release prisoners” pending verification and repatriation.

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She said two Indian inmates, identified as Satyendra Kumar and Babul Singh, died in custody on February 2, 2024, while another inmate known as Rajan died on May 29, 2025.

 

Following legal formalities, the bodies were eventually cremated locally after remaining in a hospital morgue for extended periods.

 

According to prison officials, Shariatpur jail currently houses 14 Indian men and three Indian women. Many face language barriers and some have reportedly shown signs of distress, including reluctance to eat properly.

 

Shariatpur District Bar Association General Secretary Mridha Nazrul Kabir said coordinated efforts by the foreign and law ministries of the two countries were necessary to facilitate the inmates’ return to their families.

 

Officials in Dhaka said citizens of Pakistan, Myanmar and Nigeria are also among foreign inmates awaiting repatriation from Bangladeshi prisons.