Ninety Bangladeshi fishermen and crew members, detained by the Indian Coast Guard, are being repatriated to Bangladesh on Tuesday.
They reached the Coast Guard dock in Patenga at 9:30am on Tuesday. Afterward, at 10am, a ceremony was held where the 90 fishermen and sailors were handed over to their families.
Additionally, the two fishing vessels, "FV Laila-2" and "FV Meghna-5", were handed over to their respective owners.
The handover ceremony was attended by Captain Md Jahirul Haque, zonal commander of the Bangladesh Coast Guard Eastern Zone, Monowar Mokarram, director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and various other officials.
Family members of the sailors and fishermen had already gathered at the Patenga Coast Guard dock to welcome them.
Md Abdus Sattar, director of the Chittagong Marine Fisheries Office, earlier said: “The repatriation of 90 Bangladeshi fishermen and crew members, including 78 from two seized fishing vessels, was finalized on January 5 as part of mutual repatriation agreements between the two nations. Similarly, 95 Indian fishermen and crew members detained in Bangladesh have been sent back to their country.”
He added: “The Bangladeshi fishermen are being escorted by the Coast Guard and are expected to reach Patenga on Tuesday morning. Upon their arrival, the crew and their vessels will be formally handed over.”
According to sources from the Marine Fisheries Office, the 90 fishermen were released on Sunday and handed over to the Bangladesh Coast Guard at Hiron Point in the international waters of the Bay of Bengal.
The fishermen were detained on December 9 while fishing in Bangladeshi waters. The Indian Coast Guard seized two fishing trawlers — FV Laila-2 and FV Meghna-5 — and took them to Paradip, Odisha. Court proceedings led to their imprisonment on charges of illegal entry into Indian waters.
Of the 90 fishermen, 78 were aboard FV Laila-2 and FV Meghna-5. FV Laila-2, operated by SR Fishing, carried 41 crew members and had been at sea since November 27, with plans to return on December 20. FV Meghna-5, owned by C&F Agro Limited, carried 37 crew members and was scheduled to return on December 14 after departing on November 24.
Additionally, on September 12, the Bangladeshi fishing vessel FV Kaushik sank due to adverse weather. The 12 fishermen on board were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard but were later imprisoned on similar charges.
