Bangla woman survives trafficking bid after illegally entering Tripura

Agartala: In the bustling heart of Agartala Railway Station, a young woman named Jannati Khatun found herself ensnared in a nightmare that seemed to have no end. Hailing from Khulna, Bangladesh, Jannati had crossed the border on Jan 29, hoping for a better future, only to be apprehended the very next day. Her dreams were quickly overshadowed by the cold, harsh reality of her illegal entry.

For two long months, Jannati languished in jail, her hopes of freedom dwindling with each passing day. Though she was granted bail, the absence of a guarantor kept her behind bars for another four months. It wasn't until June 18 that a man named Somnath Mondal stepped forward to secure her release. But this supposed saviour was not who he seemed. Jannati soon realized that Somnath was the very person she had accused of trafficking her.

Jannati, along with two other Bangladeshi women, was arrested on a Bangalore-bound train without valid documents. Their confessions led the police to Nilay Ahmed Joy, alias Bijoy Mondal, a Bangladeshi youth living in Chennai under a false identity. Nilay had been running illegal spa centers in Bangalore and Chennai, which were fronts for a sinister operation. Young Bangladeshi women were being lured in and forced into prostitution under the guise of beauty parlors.

Despite the efforts of advocates Mizanur Rahman and Arshad Miah, Jannati's release was stalled by the stringent bail bond conditions. It was then that Somnath Mondal, an associate of Nilay, appeared at the central jail with another lawyer to facilitate her release. But Jannati did not recognize him, and her instincts screamed danger.

Her fears were confirmed when, shortly after her release, Somnath took her into an auto-rickshaw. As they travelled towards Agartala, Jannati overheard a suspicious phone call that hinted at her being sold to a trafficking racket. "When I attempted to stop the auto, the speed was increased. Then I jump out and tried to flee. But I was caught by Somnath who assaulted me. I somehow managed to escape and approached West Agartala Police Station with a formal complaint against Mondal and sought a secure return to Bangladesh," Jannati told the media.

"We have provided secured shelter to the woman and are trying to push her back to Bangladesh. Also, investigation is on to look into her complaint," said an investigating officer of the case.

Jannati's harrowing ordeal was set against the backdrop of a deteriorating situation in Bangladesh. Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on Aug 5, the country was plunged into chaos. Unemployment soared, and business opportunities dwindled, driving many to seek refuge across the border, often falling prey to nefarious networks.