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Bangladeshi prisoner lodged in Assam jail gives birth to baby boy
Police said that Sheikh allegedly came to India illegally with her husband and other family members in February 2020 and went to Navi Mumbai in search of work
A 42-year-old Bangladeshi woman, who was arrested in Assam’s Karimganj district six months back while trying to return to Bangladesh, has given birth to a baby boy.
Karimganj’s joint director (health) Samsul Alam said they held a camp two months back and found two Bangladeshi prisoners, including Chandni Sheikh, were pregnant. “I do not know if the other woman has been deported,” Alam said. He added they provided Sheikh required support including checkups, medicines, and food.
Sheikh was taken to a local hospital from the Karimganj jail on Monday and gave birth through a c-section. “She told us that this is her fourth child and the other kids are in Bangladesh,” said a health worker at the hospital.
Police said Sheikh allegedly came to India illegally with her husband and other family members in February 2020 and went to Navi Mumbai in search of work.
“She informed us that her husband was in Navi Mumbai when she left that place. The husband never tried to contact her because he is also an illegal migrant,” a border police officer said.
Lawyer Aman Wadud cited the Citizenship Act and said the newborn will not be an Indian citizen. “Both the parents of the newborn have to be citizens of India for that.”
Police said Sheikh, a resident of Dhaka, was taken back to the jail on Tuesday and that both mother and child were doing well.
Inspector general (prisons) Barnali Sharma said a doctor has been assigned to look after Sheikh and her child. “...several foreigners have given birth in prisons and we helped them with adequate food, treatment, and other facilities.”
An official said foreign women prisoners are mostly sent to the Kokrajhar jail. Since Sheikh was four-month pregnant when she was arrested, she was kept in the Karimganj jail.
