The Indian Coast Guard has reportedly seized two Bangladeshi fishing trawlers along with 79 sailors near the maritime boundary between the two countries.
According to vessel owners and the Department of Shipping, the incident occurred on Monday afternoon in the Hiron Point area of Khulna.
The seized vessels have been identified as FV Meghna-5, owned by C&A Agro Limited of Chattogram, and FV Laila-2, owned by SR Fishing.
Ansarul Haque, Operations Manager of C&A Agro Limited, said: "FV Meghna-5 and FV Laila-2 were engaged in deep-sea fishing in the Hiron Point area of the Khulna belt. At around 11am on Monday, both vessels were seized by the Indian Coast Guard. Later, we managed to communicate with the sailors onboard through another trawler, and they informed us it would take another hour or two to reach Odisha."
When asked whether the vessels had entered Indian waters, Ansarul Haque replied: "Our vessels were within Bangladesh’s maritime boundary. The Indian Coast Guard crossed the border and took the vessels away. We have lodged complaints with the Coast Guard, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other relevant authorities. They have assured us of full support."
Ansarul Haque further added that FV Meghna-5 had 37 people on board, including crew and fishermen, while FV Laila-2 carried 42. The crews were contacted on Monday night and Tuesday morning, and they reported being in good condition.
Commodore Mohammad Maqsud Alam, Managing Director of the Department of Shipping, said: "The two vessels were seized near Indian waters. The Bangladesh Coast Guard and other government agencies are in touch with Indian authorities, and we are closely monitoring the situation."
