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Bangladesh’s BNP functionary lived in Bengal for 30 years, wife held: Police
The wife said that Rezaul Mondal returned to Bangladesh months before mass uprising that forced Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina to resign as Prime Minister, leave the country last year
Kolkata: A functionary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was living in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district for the past 30 years as an enrolled voter, police said on Sunday, a day after his wife — who claims to be an Indian national — was arrested.
“Sherful Mondal, a resident of the district’s Bagdah area, said that she married Rezaul Mondal around 30 years ago but came to know later that he was a BNP leader and had entered India illegally,” a police officer, requesting anonymity, said.
Sherful said that Rezaul returned to Bangladesh months before a mass uprising forced Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina to resign as Prime Minister and leave the country in July last year.
“Rezaul came under scanner after police started looking for his son, Firoz, for allegedly eloping with a minor girl three months ago. A case was registered against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The probe indicated that Firoz is a Bangladeshi national,” the officer said.
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The officer said that Rezaul presented Sherful’s mother, Cherbanu Mondal, as his mother while procuring an Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC). “Sherful was arrested for helping an illegal immigrant,” the officer added.
Prasun Pramaik, the block development officer (BDO) of Bagdah, said that Rezaul’s nationality was exposed when Election Commission officials were doing field work. “EC officials went to the area to update the electoral roll when the man and his son could not be found,” the BDO said.
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North 24 Parganas is one of the districts in West Bengal that share an international border with Bangladesh.
The Border Security Force (BSF) and other agencies have intensified vigil along the border since 2024 in view of the political unrest in Bangladesh. At least 300 Bangladeshis have been apprehended from various districts of West Bengal since December last year.
