Kolkata, January 29 (IANS). Twenty-three Indian fishermen and their two Indian fishing boats (IFBs), detained in Bangladesh, were successfully repatriated on Thursday under the coordination of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) with Bangladeshi authorities.
These Indian fishermen were detained for fishing in Bangladesh’s territorial waters by crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). This process was part of the mutual repatriation arrangement.
Under this reciprocal arrangement, the Government of India also released 128 Bangladeshi fishermen and their five fishing boats. These Bangladeshi fishermen were caught by the Indian Coast Guard for illegal fishing in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and later action was taken against them under the Foreigners Act.
This exchange of fishermen and boats took place in the early hours of Thursday along the International Maritime Boundary Line in the Bay of Bengal.
Indian Coast Guard ships ICGS Samudra Prahari and ICGS Vijay handed over the Bangladeshi fishermen to Bangladesh Coast Guard ships Kamruzzaman and Sonar Bangla in a coordinated manner. At the same time, after completion of the necessary documentary process, the Indian fishermen were also handed over to the Indian Coast Guard.
After this, Coast Guard ships along with fishermen and boats left for West Bengal coast. The 23 repatriated Indian fishermen and their boats will be handed over to the state administration, which will make arrangements for their return home.
According to a Defense Ministry statement, this mutual exchange of fishermen and their boats is the result of efforts by the Ministry of External Affairs, taking into account the humanitarian and livelihood concerns of the fishing communities living along India’s extensive coastline.
“The successful repatriation reflects the collective commitment of both countries to ensure the safety and welfare of fishermen and underlines the importance of maritime cooperation and humanitarian efforts in shared maritime areas,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Indian Coast Guard officials have warned Indian fishermen not to cross the International Maritime Boundary Line in search of better catch. In such cases, fishermen face problems like detention, economic distress to their families and long delays in repatriation.
Officials said modern fishing boats are equipped with GPS and other equipment, allowing the crew to monitor their position at sea. The boats are also fitted with satellite linked Distress Alert Transponders (DATs), which when operational, help in monitoring the boats at sea.
However, some people intending to cross the border turn off the DAT, due to which their exact location cannot be known. The situation becomes particularly acute during the cyclone season in the Bay of Bengal, when boats and fishermen go missing.
–IANS
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