34 Indian Fishermen From West Bengal Held In Bangladesh
The fishermen were allowed to contact their families who in turn informed their community forum: Reports
KOLKATA: 34 Indian fishermen in two trawlers from West Bengal have been detained by the Bangladesh Navy on Monday evening after they allegedly crossed the international maritime boundary line (IMBL) in the Bay of Bengal and entered the territorial waters of the neighbouring country.
They, after detention, were taken to Mongla Port and were later handed over to the Mongla police station along with their fishing boats, Jhor and Mongol Chandi- 38. Some fish were reportedly recovered from their trawlers also. The Bangladesh authorities have initiated legal proceedings against them.
The group had sailed in the two vessels for fishing in the sea along the Sundarban delta from Namkhana at Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas a few days ago, according to Sundarban Samudrik Matsajibi Shramik Union secretary Satinath Patra. Monsoon is the prime time to net delicious Hilsa fish which are found in abundance in the Bangladeshi waters.
The two trawlers were however intercepted near Fairway Buoy area after the sunset on Monday following a surveillance by the Bangladesh Navy radars which found their movements suspicious to their side of the IMBL at the sea.
On Tuesday, the fishermen were allowed to contact their families who in turn informed their community forum. Getting to know about the incident, the South 24 Parganas district administration apprised the state government that later got in touch with the Centre for the fishermen’s release.