Paikar (Bengal): “Please bring my husband back from Bangladesh, I cannot endure this suffering any more. I have to provide for three children alone and I am simply unable to,” says Sunali Khatun.Sunali is back in the Paikar village of Murarai 2 block of Bengal’s Birbhum district. Months ago, her efforts to come from after having been pushed into Bangladesh while she was pregnant had captured the attention of the whole country and reached the Supreme Court. Today, Sunali’s household is a picture of deep distress.Sunali today is as much a victim of the Bharatiya Janata Party government’s communal policies as she is of the Trinamool Congress government’s apathy. While her son was named by Trinamool Congress second-in-c0mmand Abhishek Banerjee, the very welfare schemes for which Banerjee’s party is known have evaded Sunali’s family.§Driven by extreme financial hardship, Sunali had migrated to Delhi along with her husband and minor son and daughter in search of work. The family lived in a rented shanty and sustained themselves by collecting discarded waste from the streets, and salvaging usable items to sell. Last June, they were detained by the Delhi Police, labelled Bangladeshi nationals, and subjected to severe mistreatment.Sunali, her husband Danish Sheikh, their eight-year-old son Sabir, were forcibly pushed into Bangladesh. But not being Bangladeshi citizens, soon afterwards, they and their former neighbour Sweety Bibi with her two minor children Kurban and Iman were held in detention.Sunali was pregnant at the time.“Despite everything, I did not give up. I fought relentlessly and protected the child growing in my womb,” she said.The Calcutta high court on September 26, had directed the repatriation of all six people. The Nawabganj Court in Bangladesh also stated on September 30 that all six individuals, including the three minors were Indian citizens. All six were released from the Champai Nawabganj correctional facility in Bangladesh on bail. Despite the high court’s orders, the Union government dithered.The case reached the Supreme Court, and on December 3 last year, the Union government agreed to bring Sunali Khatun and her minor son Sabir back from Bangladesh on humanitarian grounds. However, her husband Danish, along with Sweety Bibi and her two sons still remain in Bangladesh, yet to be released. Sunali’s family was thus split.“Eventually, we managed to return to our own homeland. But even here, we are facing a terrible crisis. No one cares about us anymore. We have no work, no food, no proper shelter. At any moment, we may die from deprivation,” she said.The Wire had followed Sunali’s story closely but it is only a visit to her home that unfurled the true extent of the crisis that continues to plague the family. Conversations with Sunali, her parents, other members of her family and locals unveiled allegations of layers of inhuman neglect and repeated lapses by the panchayat and local administration.Sunali’s story is a reminder of human cost of displacement, misidentification, and systemic indifference.In Delhi and afterwardsPaikar is a village approximately 265 kilometres from Kolkata. In Paikar and the adjacent Kashimpur village which together make up the Paikar gram panchayat, most families belong to the Muslim community and are economically disadvantaged. There is little by way of employment opportunity in the area. As a result, most residents are compelled to travel outside the state to work as migrant labourers.Sunali, Danish and their son Sabir had left on a similar mission in April 2025. Unable to find work, the couple began to collect discarded newspapers, plastic and other waste materials from the streets of Delhi, so they could sell these to shops that buy recyclable materials at low prices. The family would live in a rented tent. “It was back-breaking work all day,” said Sunali.On June 17, 2025, the Delhi Police raided their tent. At that time, police raids were being carried out in multiple locations targeting Bengali-speaking individuals. “The police entered our tent and took us into custody. We were called Bangladeshis, despite showing our Aadhaar card and other identity documents,” Sunali said.What followed is known but the family has not stopped being surprised by it.Sunali’s mother Joytsnara Bibi remembers the early phone calls. “My daughter spoke to us over a video call from Bangladesh and shared the hardships they were facing,” she said.Sonali’s elder brother Sujor Sheikh, who drives an electric rickshaw, said that they have always been Indian citizens. “In 2003, our father Bhodu Sheikh, took us to Delhi. There, he worked as a rickshaw puller and my mother worked as a domestic worker in people’s homes. After many years, we returned to our village. How did we become Bangladeshis?”Sweety Bibi was a resident of Fakirpara of Paikar village and had been working as a tailor in Delhi. A widow, Sweety stayed adjacent to Sunali’s tent with her sons Kurban (17) and Imon (eight years old). Police also labelled them Bangladeshi nationals and deported them to Bangladesh. They too were detained and though they are out of jail, they continue to remain in Bangladesh.‘Why do you want to go there?’Paikar has a prominent police station, close to which is Sunali Khatun’s home. Directly opposite the police station, a group of youth were sitting at a tea stall. As soon as I approached the lane, they surrounded me. “Where are you going?’’ they asked. On learning that my destination was Sunali Khatun’s house, their interrogation intensified. “Why do you want to go there? Where have you come from?” they asked.Claiming to be local Trinamool Congress workers, they insisted that if I was a journalist then I should direct any questions to them instead. “Do not disturb her. Sunali Khatun is fine now. There is no problem. We are taking care of her. Do not ask her anything inappropriate,” one of them said. Despite repeated requests, none of them disclosed their names.It was only after I assured them repeatedly that I would recount the conversation to them that they fell back and allowed me to approach Sunali’s house.The dwelling consists of just two small rooms, both in a fragile condition and on the verge of collapse at any moment.Sunali sat holding her three-month-old baby. She has named him Aapan – ‘my own’.Also read: ‘I Beg to Return’: Union Govt Tells Supreme Court it Will Bring Back Pregnant Sunali Khatun from Bangladesh“On January 5 in this year, my younger son was born at Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital. The very next day, Abhishek Banerjee visited the hospital. It was he who named my son “Aapon”. I thought then that my suffering would finally come to an end. But instead, each day continues to pass in the same hardship,” Sunali said.It was 2 pm, but no one in the household had eaten anything. “My elder brother Suroj has gone out with his e-rickshaw. If he earns something, he will buy vegetables and spices, and then we will cook. Otherwise, we survive on plain rice and boiled potatoes for both meals,” said Sunali.Sitting in front of the household mud stove, Sonali’s elderly father, Bhodu Sheikh was gasping for breath. He is 72 years old and on an inhaler. Bhodu was cutting straw to feed the family’s cow and calf. His wife, Joytsnara Bibi, sat quietly nearby. On the verandah, Sunali’s sister-in-law Seema Bibi looked on as her three children played with Sunali’s older son and daughter.Sunali Khatun’s parents Jyotsnara and Bhodu, at their home in Birbhum’s Paikar village. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee.“After all the hardship, when I finally returned to my native village, I thought I would finally be able to live in peace. But after coming back, I realised there is no work here to sustain a living. It was the lack of jobs that had forced me to go to Delhi for find work. Now, I facing the same crisis again,” said Sunali Khatun in a voice heavy with despair.Anxiety over how Danish is doing in Bangladesh also keeps Sunali up.“After I returned to my village, everyone assured me that they would help. People across the country knew about our situation. I was led to believe that the local panchayat and government authorities would come forward, look after us and arrange some jobs. But what happened to those promises?” she asked.“The only assistance I received was Rs 2 lakh from Kajal Sheikh, the Sabhadhipati of Birbhum Zilla Parishad. After that, neither the panchayat nor any government officials have turned their attention toward us,” she added.Sunali Khatun’s mother and sister-in-law. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee.“In this dilapidated house, 13 of us are crammed into just two small rooms. Is it even possible for so many people to live like this?’’ asked Sunali’s father Bhodu. He explained that despite repeated appeals to the Paikar panchayat for housing, they have not received a home under any government housing scheme. “We are already struggling to meet our basic needs of food and shelter. Now Sunali has returned with three children. I cannot drive my daughter away, but how are we supposed to feed everyone?” he asked.Bhodu Sheikh further alleged that despite being over 70 years old, he has yet to receive any old-age pension. “ I have applied repeatedly to the panchayat and through outreach programmes, but nothing has come through,” he said.Sonali’s mother, Joytsnara Bibi, said that she, Seema and Sunali do not receive benefits under Lakshmir Bhadar, the women’s social welfare scheme which has won the Mamata Banerjee government elections before. Seema added that apart from her father-in-law, her husband and a sister-in-law Koresma, no other family members receive government rations, even though all of them have ration cards. Holding up their ration cards, Joytsnara Bibi said the local ration dealer has claimed that their fingerprints do not match. “We told them, you know us. We have Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, everything. Why are we being denied rations?’’ she asked.Sunali’s presence is at once a source of relief and worry. “If Danish would come back from Bangladesh, Sunali could at least move to her in-laws’ house in Tamaltala of this village and manage to sustain herself,” Jyotsnara said.Sunali also repeated this plea. “I do not want any more promises. Just bring my husband back from Bangladesh. Then at least we will be able to survive with our children,” she said.Sunali Khatun with Aapon. Photo: Madhu Sudan Chatterjee.A neighbour said that Sunali and her family are migrant workers, but have received no support from the State Migrant Welfare Board.When this reporter was making his way back from Sunali’s house, the men who had claimed to be from TMC were no longer around.When contacted, the Labour Commissioner of Rampurhat, Biplab Majumdar stated that none of Sunali Khatun’s family members are officially registered as migrant workers. “ We will visit them soon and ensure their registration” he said to The Wire.When contacted Sudip Kumar Saren, the Block Development Officer of Paikar 2, said, “I have only recently joined as BDO. Officials from the administration will visit Sunali Khatun’s home, and we will make efforts to address their problems.”