Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the Indian high commission in Dhaka to coordinate with its Bangladesh counterpart for the repatriation of a minor girl from Nadia who had been trafficked to the neighbouring country earlier this year and sexually abused at a shelter home after her rescue.

The girl could be brought back through the Gede check post on December 28, according to a request from the court. The court has directed the inspector-general of the BSF, the superintendent of the Krishnagar police district and other authorities concerned to receive the girl.

The 16-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped by a Bangladeshi infiltrator and taken to Rangpur, where she was kept in a hideout. She was later rescued by the police in Bangladesh, after which her repatriation order was issued.

The Indian authorities had got in touch with their counterparts in Bangladesh after coming to know about the whereabouts of the girl that emerged following the arrest of three aides of the prime accused, Milan Miyan.

Lawyers could not recall an earlier instance of a girl trafficked to Bangladesh being repatriated on the orders of Calcutta High Court, which also involved the Centre in the matter.

“The progress in the case has been made possible by the sincere and proactive initiative of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha, who involved central agencies for the rescue and repatriation of the girl,” said advocate Susmita Saha Dutta, who fought the case free of cost for the girl’s mother.

The police and family sources said the girl, daughter of a domestic help, was reported missing on June 23. Krishnagar police began a probe and it emerged that she could have eloped with Milan, a worker at a steel furniture manufacturing unit in the Nadia headquarters.

Advocate Niladri Saha, who jointly fought the case with Dutta, said: “The police (in Bangladesh) arrested three of Milan’s associates, who during the interrogation revealed that they were all Bangladeshi nationals and that Milan had lured the girl with a false promise of marriage and trafficked her to Bangladesh through the porous border.”

Once the police in Bengal ascertained the girl’s location, the CID took over the case and contacted the Bangladesh authorities. The Bengal government put up the girl’s name in the National Status Verification Report through the immigration, visa and foreigner’s registration office.

“We were told that the detective department of Bangladesh police had rescued the girl. She had been kept at the Sheikh Russel Child Training and Rehabilitation Centre in Rangpur,” a CID officer said.

However, speaking to her mother over the phone from Bangladesh after being rescued, the girl said she had been sexually abused at the home.

The mother then filed a petition before Calcutta High Court, seeking help from the state and central governments for the repatriation of the teenager from Bangladesh.

“Justice Mantha, hearing the petition, expressed serious concern and directed the Centre to take necessary steps to get the girl back home in India. We also involved the BSF and the NIA. Justice Mantha also requested the Bangladesh high commissioner in India to shift the girl from the Rangpur-based home to a safer place,” advocate Dutta said.

“Since the date and time of the repatriation are yet to be finalised despite an order being issued by the Bangladesh authorities, the high court has directed the Indian high commission in Dhaka to coordinate with its Bangladesh counterpart for her repatriation on December 28 between 11am and 3pm, if possible,” Dutta added.

“It is a major success in rescuing a trafficked girl. Calcutta High Court has played a positive and proactive role. The state police also tried their best. This case will provide a ray of hope for those families whose daughters have been trafficked to Bangladesh,” the advocate said.