Thirteen Bangladeshi citizens, including four children, were repatriated today after serving a two-year prison sentence in India.

The group, who were victims of human trafficking, crossed the border at the Benapole checkpost this morning, after being handed over by Indian authorities.

According to Benapole Immigration Police, the individuals were lured to India by traffickers promising lucrative employment opportunities but were abandoned in Kolkata and subsequently arrested.

Following their release, they were sheltered by a human rights organization and then transferred to Justice Care, an NGO that will help reunite them with their families.

Sumon Bhakto, officer-in-charge of Benapole Port Police Station, confirmed that the NGO will facilitate the return of these individuals to their homes and loved ones.

This incident highlights the ongoing issue of human trafficking and the vulnerability of individuals seeking employment abroad. Studies have revealed an alarming prevalence of human trafficking between Bangladesh and India.

The Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) estimates that 50,000 Bangladeshi women and girls are trafficked across the border annually, with 300,000 children forced into prostitution in India.

A separate study, "Adolescence at the Border," conducted by the NGO Justice and Care in collaboration with the Border Security Force (BSF), found that approximately 500,000 Bangladeshi women and children were trafficked to India in the past decade.

Sanlaap, an Indian NGO dedicated to combating human trafficking, has identified key areas in West Bengal where trafficked girls from Bangladesh are exploited for sexual purposes.

Matia Bazar, a red light area, serves as both a source and transit point for girls trafficked within India and from neighboring Bangladesh.

Canning, another town in South 24 Paraganas, is notorious for being a major trafficking hub, with victims often transported via waterways through the Sundarbans.

Similarly, the village of Madhusudanpur in Kultali has a high incidence of trafficking, with many local women and girls forced into prostitution in Kolkata and Mumbai.

---