Authorities in Bangladesh have launched a search for Mamtaj Begum, a woman from Assam’s Nagaon district who was sent to Bangladesh in June, after the Gauhati High Court directed that she be brought back to India.
Begum had been declared a foreigner by a Foreigners Tribunal in Nagaon on June 6, 2019. However, the Gauhati High Court set aside the tribunal’s order on April 20, 2026.
Despite the court’s decision, Begum was arrested by police from the court premises on May 30 and subsequently taken to a detention centre in Sribhumi. She was sent to Bangladesh on June 14, 2026.
Following her deportation, Begum’s husband approached the Gauhati High Court, filing a writ petition seeking her return to India.
After hearing the petition, the High Court directed that Begum be brought back to India. However, Bangladeshi authorities have so far been unable to trace her.
As part of the search operation, authorities in Bangladesh have reportedly put up posters carrying Begum’s photograph in Dhaka, Sylhet and other locations to help locate her.
The case has drawn attention to the legal and administrative complications surrounding Begum’s deportation, particularly after the Foreigners Tribunal order declaring her a foreigner was set aside by the Gauhati High Court before she was sent to Bangladesh.