90 Bangladeshi sailors, fishermen return home from India
Bangladesh also handed over 95 Indian fishermen and six boats to the Indian Coast Guard
A total of 90 Bangladeshi sailors and fishermen, who had been detained or provided shelter in India, have returned home.
They were reunited with their families along with their fishing boats at Patenga, Chattogram, at 10am today (7 January).
Lt Commander Md Siam-ul-Haq, media officer of the Bangladesh Coast Guard, said that the Coast Guard and Bangladesh Navy had previously intercepted six Indian fishing boats engaged in illegal fishing in Bangladeshi waters near the Bangladesh-India International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
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The seized boats included Abhijit-3 and Jhar-3 (captured by the Coast Guard) and FV Joy Jagannath-2, FV Basanti, FV Abhijit, and FV Narayan (captured by the Navy), along with 95 Indian fishermen onboard, he added.
On 5 January, these 95 Indian fishermen and six boats were handed over to the Indian Coast Guard under the supervision of the Bangladesh Coast Guard at the IMBL.
Simultaneously, India handed over 90 Bangladeshi sailors and fishermen and two fishing boats who had been detained or sheltered in India.
The returnees included 12 fishermen who had been rescued by the Indian Coast Guard on 12 September, after their boat, FV Kaushik, sank in bad weather near the IMBL. They were taken to Haldia Port for safety and assistance.
Additionally, on 9 December, the Indian Coast Guard detained two Bangladeshi fishing trawlers (FV Laila-2 and FV Meghna-5) and 78 sailors and fishermen on charges of illegal fishing in Indian waters.
The exchange of detained fishermen was facilitated through bilateral negotiations led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Following their directives, the Bangladesh Coast Guard successfully coordinated the repatriation process, ensuring the safe return of the Bangladeshi sailors and fishermen to their families.
