In a troubling development that continues to draw attention and criticism, six migrant workers who were reportedly pushed into Bangladesh remain stranded there, despite a clear directive from the Calcutta High Court for their repatriation. The situation, which has persisted for over a month, includes the plight of a pregnant woman, Sunali Bibi, and five others, who have not yet been brought back to India. This ongoing issue has sparked a political spat between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal and the Union government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the former accusing the latter of negligence and failure to comply with judicial orders.
The Calcutta High Court's order, dated September 26, 2025, mandated that the authorities take all necessary steps to ensure that the six migrants, including Sunali Bibi, Danish Sheikh, Sabir, and others, were to be brought back to India within four weeks from the communication of the order. This directive came in response to a writ petition filed by relatives of the migrants, Bhodu Sheikh and Amir Khan, who raised concerns over the forced deportation and the migrants’ welfare. The court’s Division Bench, comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Reetobrata Mitra, clearly instructed the responsible agencies to facilitate the return of these individuals, underscoring the urgency and humanitarian nature of the issue.
Despite this clear judicial instruction, four weeks later the six individuals remain in Bangladesh. The West Bengal government, through its Minister of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, Shashi Panja, has publicly criticized the central government for its failure to act. Ms. Panja stated that the deportation itself was unlawful and that while the TMC fought to rectify the situation, the BJP-led Union government has not taken any concrete steps to repatriate the migrants. She further accused the central authorities of attempting to label these six people as Bangladeshi nationals, thereby complicating their return and allowing them to remain in Bangladesh indefinitely.
Supporting these allegations, Samirul Islam, a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Migrant Workers Welfare Board in West Bengal, revealed that a court in Bangladesh had also ruled that these six individuals were not Bangladeshi citizens and that arrangements should be made for their return to India. Mr. Islam expressed strong condemnation of the Union government’s inaction, accusing it of disregarding both the law and the Calcutta High Court’s mandatory order. He highlighted the human cost of the delay, pointing out the suffering of Sunali Bibi, who is pregnant and yet to deliver her child. Furthermore, he lamented the lack of communication channels with the stranded migrants, which has made it difficult for authorities and family members to receive updates on their health and well-being.
The background to this contentious issue is rooted in the alleged pushback of these six migrant workers from Delhi into Bangladesh by security agencies. Among the group are Sunali Bibi, her husband Danish Sheikh, and their eight-year-old child, as well as Sweety Bibi and her two minor children. The deportations have raised serious humanitarian and legal concerns, especially given the vulnerable condition of Sunali Bibi during her pregnancy at the time of deportation. Her father, Mr. Bhodu Sheikh, voiced deep anxieties over the nationality status of his unborn grandchild, questioning what citizenship the child would hold if born on Bangladeshi soil. This concern touches on broader issues about migrant rights, citizenship, and statelessness that are currently contentious in the region.
This incident is not isolated but part of a wider pattern where migrant workers, particularly those from West Bengal, have alleged forcible pushbacks into Bangladesh. While some of these cases have seen positive outcomes after intervention by the Calcutta High Court, many remain unresolved, highlighting systemic challenges in addressing cross-border migration and the treatment of displaced workers. The failure to adhere to court orders and the bureaucratic inertia in facilitating repatriation raise questions about governance, accountability, and the protection of vulnerable populations caught between nations.
The ongoing impasse has intensified political tensions between the West Bengal state government and the central government. The Trinamool Congress leadership has repeatedly blamed the BJP-led Union government for the plight of the migrants, accusing it of deliberate neglect and politicization of humanitarian issues. On the other hand, the central government has yet to publicly respond to these allegations or provide a detailed explanation for the delay in rep