BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 15th September 2025: A tragic end to a hopeful journey of a 73-year-old Swapna Shukla Baidya, a resident of Moulvibazar Sadar in Bangladesh passed away in India while seeking medical treatment. Her body was repatriated today, three days after her death, following the resolution of complex cross-border formalities.
Swapna Devi had traveled to Chennai several weeks ago for treatment at a private hospital due to ongoing health issues. After completing her treatment, she was staying at her daughter’s residence in Dharmanagar, North Tripura. However, on September 12, she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and died.
The grief of her family was compounded by the bureaucratic delays in transporting her body back to Bangladesh. Despite their emotional distress, the repatriation process took several days. On Monday, her coffin was finally sent through the Kailashahar immigration checkpoint. The Border Security Force (BSF) of India formally handed over the body to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), where her relatives were waiting at the border to receive her.
Many family members from both sides of the border gathered to bid a final farewell. One grieving relative tearfully remarked, “She was supposed to return home smiling after recovering in Chennai. Instead, she came back in a coffin. We will never forget this sorrow.”
Swapna Devi’s death has left a profound impact on communities across the India-Bangladesh border, serving as a painful reminder of the emotional and logistical challenges faced by families during cross-border medical journeys.
