3,000 Indians return home from Bangladesh
Indian government banned entry into India from March 13 for the coronavirus outbreak
After more than five months, the people with Indian passports stranded in Bangladesh have started to return home.
Since August 18, following the conditions provided by the Indian government, 3,178 Indian people have gone back to their country through the Benapole land port.
During this period, 481 people also came to Bangladesh from India.
In the last 10 days, 26 Bangladeshi citizens have also left for India, while 455 Bangladeshi citizens and 26 Indian passengers arrived in Bangladesh.
Sources at Benapole Immigration said the Indian government had banned entry into India from March 13 for the coronavirus outbreak.
As a result, passengers carrying Indian passports had got trapped in Bangladesh.
On August 18, the Indian government granted entry to India with a permit from the Indian High Commissioner along with a coronavirus negative certificate collected within 72 hours of the application.
Indian passport holders started entering India on the morning of August 18 in compliance with this condition. Besides, one or two Bangladeshi passport holders were also seen going to India for emergencies.
Ahsan Habib, officer-in-charge of Benapole International Immigration, said Indian nationals stranded in Bangladesh were returning home following the instructions of the Indian government.
"Many Bangladeshi passengers are also entering India complying with the conditions. However, the number of passengers returning from India is decreasing day by day," he added.