Kolkata, Dec. 9 -- The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in coordination with the West Bengal government, on Tuesday facilitated the repatriation of 47 Indian fishermen and three Indian fishing boats (IFBs) detained in Bangladesh.
According to the Defence spokesperson, the exchange, approved by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), took place on December 9 along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Bay of Bengal.
As part of a reciprocal arrangement between the two countries, India also released 32 Bangladeshi fishermen and one Bangladeshi fishing boat apprehended earlier by the ICG for illegal fishing inside the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone.
The transfer of the Bangladeshi crew was carried out by Indian Coast Guard Ship Vijaya to Bangladesh Coast Guard vessels BCGS Kamaruzzaman and Sadhin Bangla.
After the handover at sea, the 47 Indian fishermen and their three boats
were brought to Frazerganj in South 24 Parganas by ICG Ship Vijaya and formally handed over to the state administration today.
Officials said the arrangement was coordinated by the MEA keeping in mind the humanitarian and livelihood concerns of fishing communities on both sides of the maritime border.
The ICG has apprehended six Bangladeshi fishing boats operating illegally in the Indian EEZ over the past three months.
Despite regular shepherding efforts by Coast Guard units, Indian boats continue to drift across the IMBL through shallow waters.
Over the past year, more than 300 IFBs have been guided back to Indian waters.
The ICG has urged the West Bengal administration to intensify outreach to coastal communities on the legal and security consequences of crossing the IMBL, which can lead to arrests, vessel seizure and severe hardship for fishermen and their families.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.