A 44-year-old Bangladeshi, who spent about six months in the Baripada Circle Jail as an under-trial prisoner after his arrest, is now waiting for repatriation after his release.
Currently, Md Nazrul Haq is residing at the Baripada Town police station as a guest since his release from jail earlier this month.
Haq, who hails from village Mollapara under the Rajpara police station in Rajsahi district of Bangladesh, had been arrested by the Baripada Town police on August 12 last year when he was found with a visa, the period of which had expired. He had a tourist visa for India for 90 days.
“Nazrul is residing with us at the police station as a guest and would continue to remain with us till completion of his repatriation process,” said police station Inspector-in-Charge Alok Ray on Thursday.
While Nazrul was in the jail, his case was taken up by human rights activist and lawyer Shanti Ranjan Behera. A local court tried his case, and the judgment came on Thursday last week.
The imprisonment period was adjusted with the period he spent as an under-trial and he was released from jail after deposit of a penalty amount of `200.
Activist Behera said, “Although he is released from jail yet he still has not a valid visa, which means he is an unauthorised foreign national in Indian soil. He can be arrested by police anytime anywhere.”
“Till the repatriation process is complete, he has to be with police; otherwise he would face same problem again. I am in touch with the Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner office, Kolkata. Today also, I talked to the Counsellor of the office BN Janal Hossain regarding repatriation. He said Nazrul’s identity establishment is under process. I urged him to expedite the process with the Government of India and issue a transit pass for Nazrul.”