Dhubri, 9th August: Amid escalating political unrest in Bangladesh, a family from Dhubri, Assam, has made a heartfelt plea to the Indian and Assam governments, urging them to take immediate action to secure the release of their family member, Pradip Kumar Roy, who has been imprisoned in Bangladesh since 2012 due to his involvement with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).
Pradip Kumar Roy, also known by his aliases Deepjyoti Mahanta and Ranjan Choudhury, was an active member of the ULFA, a separatist outfit in Assam, and served as the Dhubri district secretary for the organization. His involvement with ULFA dates back to 1990, and after a brief stint in custody in India in 1996, he mysteriously disappeared, reportedly crossing into Bangladesh to continue his activities with ULFA chief Paresh Baruah.
On July 17, 2012, Roy, along with another ULFA member Pradip Marak, was arrested by Bangladeshi authorities in Laxmipur, Kishoreganj. The duo was found in possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives. In 2015, a Bangladeshi court convicted them of participating in anti-national activities and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
Now, 28 years since their last contact with Pradip, his family in the Madhusoulmari Part-II village of Gauripur, Dhubri, is desperately seeking his return. The recent political turmoil in Bangladesh has only heightened their fears for his safety. Pradip Kumar Roy’s siblings, concerned for his well-being, are calling on the Indian government, as well as the Assam state authorities, to intervene and facilitate his safe repatriation.
This appeal underscores the emotional toll on Roy’s family, who have been waiting for nearly three decades to reunite with him, and highlights the need for diplomatic efforts to address the plight of Indians imprisoned abroad.