BSF apprehends 2 Bangladeshis including woman sold, forced into prostitution

The Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended two Bangladeshi individuals including a woman who was sold off before being forced into prostitution.

The victim Rina Begum (name changed), 22, was allegedly transported to India illegally and sold for Rs 30,000 before being forced into prostitution, reported India Today.

Identified as Sajib Dey, the other apprehended individual according to BSF was from Shibbari village of Khulna, who had arrived in India four months ago.

The BSF carried out a special operation in the West Bengal border district of Nadia last Saturday after receiving a tip from its anti-human trafficking unit.

Troops at the BSF's Mahendra border outpost spotted unusual movement in a banana orchard at 5 am. The troops pursued and arrested the couple. They were subsequently taken to the BSF's Mahendra frontier outpost.

Rina, during preliminary questioning said that she is a resident of Harkeltala village of Satkhira district. 

She stated she moved to India with Israful - a Bangladeshi national who lives in Kolkata - after her divorce last year.

When Israful arrived in India, he allegedly sold her to an unknown individual for Rs 30,000. Someone kidnapped her and pushed her into prostitution in Delhi.

As per BSF officials, the woman further revealed that months later, she got in touch with her Facebook friend Deepali, who lives in Kolkata. Deepali helped her escape from Delhi and she somehow reached Kolkata.

Once in Kolkata, she planned to return to Bangladesh and had paid Rs 20,000 to Israful (the man who brought her from Bangladesh illegally and sold her off) to help her cross the border illegally.

Meanwhile, Sajib said he worked in Kolkata as a ragpicker and was returning to Bangladesh due to the shutdown and had paid Israful Rs 8,000 to help him cross the border.

Woman sent to shelter home

The BSF has handed over Sajib Dey to the local police for further legal proceedings. Meanwhile, the woman has been sent to a shelter home with the help of the police and the Women and Child Development Institute.

Surjeet Singh Guleria, spokesperson and DIG of South Bengal Frontier, said, "On humanitarian grounds, the woman has been sent to a shelter home after contacting senior officials of the Women and Child Development Institute and the state police. It is unclear why her Facebook friend Deepali did not approach the police to rescue her."

Sources say once Israful (the man who was helping the duo cross the border illegally) is arrested, more details will be known.

Meanwhile, the formal process of sending the woman back to Bangladesh will be initiated soon.