A young couple and their minor son from Habra in North 24-Parganas, who had been arrested by the Border Guard Bangladesh for illegally sneaking into Bangladesh to meet a relative, were repatriated on Monday after a year.

Suman De, 32, Sujata De, 30, and their son Subhajit, 9, were handed over to the Indian authorities by the BGB and officials of Bangladesh police at Main Pillar No 76 of the border near Gede in Nadia district on Monday afternoon in the presence of representative of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

“Repatriation of the couple and their minor son have been made possible because of a coordinated initiative of two countries,” a BSF official said.

Police and BSF sources said the on February last year, the couple with the help of a tout had sneaked into Bangladesh territory to visit his ailing relative in Jessore. Around a month later, on March 21, they couple while trying to return to India in a similar way through a porous border with support of tout, were nabbed by a patrolling BGB team.

The couple was eventually handed over to the Maheshpur police authorities in Bangladesh.

A BSF official said: “They were later produced before a court in Jhenaidaha which ordered three month’s imprisonment for infiltration. The period of their punishment was completed during November 16 last year. But due to certain legal complications to get their release ensured, the couple had to wait for homecoming. During this period they were kept in Jhenaidaha jail. Their release order was issued on Sunday that eventually paved way for homecoming”.

Speaking to media persons Suman said, “It was a big mistake on my part to enter Bangladesh illegally without any passport...My maternal uncle was ill. So I tried to reach him fast...while returning home in Habra, we were caught”.

Some voluntary human rights organisation also persuaded the Bangladesh government to ensure speedy release of the couple since they were pining in jail despite completion of their 3 months’ jail term.