The handover is expected to be coordinated through the Dawki-Tamabil sector, where Indian and Bangladeshi border agencies regularly conduct such transfers.
Key Points
- The detainees were arrested by Meghalaya police in anti-infiltration operations along the India-Bangladesh border.
- Handover is expected through the Dawki-Tamabil border sector.
- The move comes amid heightened vigilance against illegal entry and trafficking networks.
In a development that clears the way for their return home, Bangladesh has issued travel permits for 18 of its nationals currently lodged in the Shillong district prison, officials said on Monday.
The detainees had been picked up earlier by Meghalaya police in separate anti-infiltration operations along the India-Bangladesh border and were subsequently prosecuted under relevant laws.
With their legal processes completed, their deportation had been pending for want of travel documents from the Bangladesh side.
Officials said the issuance of travel permits is a crucial procedural step that enables foreign nationals to be repatriated once their sentences are over.
"The documentation from the Bangladesh authorities has now come through. We are completing the remaining formalities so that the individuals can be handed over at a designated border point," a senior official said.
The handover is expected to be coordinated through the Dawki-Tamabil sector, where Indian and Bangladeshi border agencies regularly conduct such transfers.
Security arrangements and transit logistics are being finalised in consultation with all concerned agencies, officials added.
Meghalaya shares an approximately 443 kilometre-long international border with Bangladesh, making border management and coordination between the two countries a constant administrative priority.
The development comes amid heightened vigilance along Meghalaya's international border, where the state has stepped up enforcement against illegal entry and human trafficking networks.
"Detection, prosecution and deportation are all part of a standard legal process. Once a foreign national has served the sentence and the home country confirms identity and nationality, repatriation follows," another official said.
Authorities emphasised that deportations are carried out in accordance with due process and bilateral protocols, with proper documentation and verification on both sides.
With travel permits now in place, the repatriation of the 18 detainees from Shillong is expected to take place in the coming days, subject to final administrative clearances.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
© 2026