Thirty-six Bangladeshi youths returned home through the Benapole border on Thursday night after serving 17 months in an Indian prison for illegal entry.

The returnees, hailing from Bogura, Khulna, Natore, Chattogram, Dhaka and Cumilla districts, were handed over to Benapole Immigration Police by India's Petrapole immigration authorities around 9:00pm under a special travel permit.

Inspector (Investigation) of Benapole Checkpost Immigration Police Syed Mortaza Ali said the youths had travelled to Chennai in India through illegal channels with the help of traffickers in search of better employment opportunities.

They were later arrested by Indian police on charges of illegal infiltration and were sentenced by an Indian court to 17 months' imprisonment. After completing their jail terms at Chennai Central Prison, they were kept at a shelter home run by a human rights organisation, he said.

With the assistance of the Bangladesh and Indian high commissions and under a special travel permit issued by the Indian government, they were finally repatriated to Bangladesh.

Following completion of immigration formalities, the returnees were handed over to Benapole Port Police Station.

A representative of the rights-based organisation Justice and Care said the youths had been lured to India by traffickers with promises of jobs in garment factories but later fell victim to fraud and exploitation.

The organisation has taken responsibility for the returnees and will hand them over to their respective families on Friday, officials said.