India, Bangladesh repatriate fishermen in mutual exchange

The Indian fishermen were handed over by the ICG to the district magistrate of West Bengal's South 24 Parganas near Sagar Island on Monday, an official said.

Kolkata: In a mutual exchange between India and Bangladesh amid strained bilateral relations, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) handed over 90 Bangladeshi fishermen for 95 Indian fishermen at the International Maritime Boundary Line, a Defence official said here.

The Indian fishermen were handed over by the ICG to the district magistrate of West Bengal's South 24 Parganas near Sagar Island on Monday, he said.

The operation was the result of mutual efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), West Bengal government and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in maintaining maritime relations between India and Bangladesh, the Defence official said in a statement.

He said that on December 9, 2024, ICG apprehended two Bangladeshi fishing trawlers FV Laila-2 and FV Meghna-5 with 78 fishermen on board, engaged in fishing within Indian waters.

The Centre accorded approval for the repatriation of 78 crew members along with two Bangladeshi fishing boats and an additional 12 crew of sunken Bangladesh fishing boat Kausik in mutual exchange for 95 Indian fishermen along with six Indian fishing boats.

Indian Coast Guard ships Varad and Amrit Kaur escorted the 90 Bangladeshi fishermen to the IMBL on Sunday for mutual exchange for 95 Indian fishermen who were apprehended by the Bangladeshi authorities in their maritime area, he said.