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Sunali Khatun, a pregnant woman from West Bengal, was released from a Bangladeshi prison on Monday evening after being detained for over three months. She had been accused of illegal immigration after Indian authorities pushed her into Bangladesh in June. Alongside her husband, Danish Sk, and their eight-year-old son, Shabir, Khatun walked out of Chapainawabganj jail around 7:30 PM, accompanied by another family, Sweety Bibi and her two sons.

The release was granted by a local court on humanitarian grounds, with a Bangladeshi citizen providing a surety and a bail bond of 5,000 taka.

This development coincided with the Indian Supreme Court's request for the Union government to consider allowing Khatun and her son to return to India on humanitarian grounds. The court, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, acknowledged Khatun's advanced pregnancy and instructed the Solicitor General to explore the possibility of her re-entry through the Malda border.

However, the court did not address the status of her husband, and the case is scheduled for further hearing on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Chapainawabganj court had accepted the argument for bail, emphasizing the presence of a pregnant woman and children in the group. Conditions were set for their release, requiring them to remain in Bangladesh and report to the court as needed. The court also mandated that Khatun receive necessary medical care, including hospitalization if required.

A social worker assisting the families in Bangladesh has arranged for their accommodation in the district.

Khatun, along with her family, asserts that they originate from the Birbhum district in West Bengal. They were detained in Delhi on June 20 and subsequently deported to Bangladesh six days later.

On September 26, the Calcutta High Court annulled the deportation order against Khatun and five others, instructing their return to West Bengal within four weeks. However, just before the deadline on October 24, the Union government contested this order in the Supreme Court, questioning the High Court's jurisdiction in the matter.

Since May, numerous Bengali-speaking migrant workers have faced scrutiny in BJP-ruled states, being compelled to prove their citizenship status, with many wrongfully labeled as foreigners and deported to Bangladesh despite being Indian nationals.