New Delhi: A West Bengal woman, eight months pregnant, was deported to Bangladesh alongside her husband and eight-year-old son, sparking deep anxiety among her relatives over her well-being and the nationality of her unborn child.
Identified as Sunali Bibi from Birbhum district, the family was detained in Delhi around June 26, accused of being illegal migrants, despite having lived in India for nearly two decades. They earned their livelihood as ragpickers and domestic workers. Authorities sent them to Bangladesh after detention, discontinuing their access to legal processes or medical assistance.
Back in Birbhum, Sunali’s mother, Jyotsnara Bibi, voiced grave concerns over her daughter’s health and that of the unborn child, questioning whether the newborn could be considered Bangladeshi by default. Her younger sister, Karishma, is left caring for their four-year-old daughter, who constantly calls for her mother.
Simultaneously, another Birbhum resident, Sweety Bibi, and her two sons were deported under similar circumstances. Both families have filed habeas corpus petitions before the Calcutta High Court, hoping the judiciary will secure their safe return.
The West Bengal Migrant Labour Welfare Board has offered support, and the family’s only hope now lies with the court. They plead for humane treatment and the mother’s return before childbirth, emphasizing the urgency of preserving both maternal and child welfare, as well as their citizenship rights.
