Muslim Woman Allegedly Forced Across Border Into Bangladesh
An Indian Muslim woman from West Bengal, who says she has valid citizenship documents, was allegedly pushed into Bangladesh by Indian police and border forces after being detained in Mumbai. The family says she was targeted over her Muslim identity and Bengali language.
According to The Indian Express, 40-year-old Shaheda Fakir was detained on July 18 while going to a market. Her husband, Jummon Fakir, presented her birth certificate, school records, land documents and other citizenship papers, but she was reportedly held for three days before being pushed across the Assam border on July 21.
Shaheda, who suffers from thyroid disease and diabetes, is now staying with a poor family in Satkhira, Bangladesh. She said, “I am a severe patient of thyroid and diabetes. I somehow reached this side after walking through mud and water. I am an Indian citizen, and my heart is breaking thinking about my seventh-grade son—who will look after him in my absence?”
Her family is preparing to approach the Calcutta High Court for her return. Human rights groups have also urged India’s Foreign Ministry to intervene and verify her documents. Similar cases involving Bengali-speaking migrant workers were reported in 2025, with some later returned to India following legal or diplomatic action.
