\\\'Bring back 72 kids\\\'

The High Court has asked the government to bring back home 72 children held at different shelter homes in India. Passing the interim suo moto order, an HC division bench comprising justices Farah Mahbub and KM Ejarul Haque Akondo has issued rule upon the government to explain in three weeks as to why the order should not be given to take necessary measures to bring back the children illegally held in India. The HC also asked the Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata to explain through the Attorney General as to why steps have not been taken so far in this regard. The HC came up with the orders as two lawyers drew attention of the bench to a report published in a daily newspaper, headlined “72 children held in India want to return”. According to the report, 72 children – both boys and girls – were arrested by Indian police and Border Security Force (BSF) while being smuggled to West Bengal from Bangladesh at different times in the last two years. Later, they were sent to shelter homes at Dakhin Dinajpur and Maldah districts of India’s West Bengal state. They have been languishing in confinement since then, according to UNB.