In a significant development following a protracted legal and diplomatic struggle, 26-year-old Sunali Khatun gave birth to a baby boy at Rampurhat Medical College Hospital in West Bengal's Birbhum district on Monday, January 5, 2026. The birth on Indian soil brought immense relief to her family, who had feared the complications of the child being born in Bangladesh after Sunali was wrongfully declared an illegal immigrant and pushed back across the border.
A Long Ordeal and a Moment of Relief
Sunali Khatun's journey to motherhood has been fraught with hardship. Along with her husband, Danish Sheikh, their eight-year-old son, and another family, she was detained in Delhi on June 18 on suspicion of being an illegal Bangladeshi infiltrator. In a controversial move, all of them were 'pushed back' into Bangladesh on June 26.
After spending 162 days in Bangladesh, which included over three months in jail, Sunali and her children were finally repatriated to India on December 5, 2025. This followed a Supreme Court order and a subsequent ruling by a Chapainawabganj district court in Bangladesh that recognized their Indian citizenship based on Aadhaar cards and West Bengal addresses.
"We are relieved that the baby was born in India, not Bangladesh. Had the baby been born in Bangladesh, there would have been questions about nationality. Sunali wanted this too," her mother, Jyotsnara Bibi, told The Indian Express from the hospital. The baby, weighing 2.5 kg, was delivered via cesarean section around 11:15 am and is reportedly healthy.
The Unfinished Struggle: A Family in Limbo
Despite the joy of the new arrival, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the family. Sunali's husband, Danish Sheikh, along with Sweety Bibi and her two children, remain in Bangladesh, confined to a relative's house in Chapainawabganj district after securing bail on December 1.
"Our struggle is yet to end. We are looking up to the Supreme Court hearing tomorrow," said Sunali's father, Bhodu Sheikh. The family has decided not to name the newborn yet, pinning their hopes on the apex court's hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 6, regarding the return of the remaining members.
Expressing his anguish from Bangladesh, Danish Sheikh said, "I am happy that we have a baby... But I am not there to see the baby’s face, nor can I be with my wife. Don’t know what will happen to me." The family has also expressed a desire for Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee to name the child, awaiting his consent.
Legal Battle and Political Intervention
The case has seen intense legal proceedings and political involvement. The West Bengal government and the state's Migrant Welfare Board actively intervened. Samirul Islam, Chairman of the Board and a TMC MP, termed Sunali's repatriation and delivery in India a "moral victory."
"We were concerned about the baby being born in a foreign country... We are fighting for them (the remaining members) in the Supreme Court. We are hopeful that during the January 6 hearing, the Supreme Court will give them relief," Islam stated.
The legal timeline highlights a complex cross-border issue:
- September 26, 2025: A Calcutta High Court division bench directed the repatriation of the six members within four weeks.
- October 3, 2025: A Chapainawabganj court declared the families Indian citizens and ordered their pushback to India.
- December 1, 2025: The families secured bail from the Chapainawabganj district court.
The incident underscores the human cost of immigration disputes and the prolonged suffering of families caught in bureaucratic and legal crossfires. All eyes are now on the Supreme Court's hearing, which the families hope will finally reunite them.
