Nine fishermen from Andhra Pradesh arrived back in Visakhapatnam on Monday following their release from a Bangladesh jail. They had been detained by the Bangladesh Navy in October last year for unintentionally crossing maritime boundaries while fishing in the Bay of Bengal. The Indian Coast Guard safely escorted them to Visakhapatnam and handed them over to the marine police.
The emotional reunion of the fishermen with their families took place after a four-month separation. Grateful for their safe return, the fishermen and their families expressed thanks to both the Central and state governments for their efforts. On January 29, the Bangladesh Coast Guard transferred the fishermen to the Indian Coast Guard at the International Maritime Boundary Line.
Two fishing boats with 15 crew members set sail from Visakhapatnam to meet the returning fishermen mid-sea and bring them to the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour. Among the group, nine fishermen were part of a larger contingent of 23 Indian fishermen handed over to the Indian Coast Guard by Bangladeshi authorities. The remaining 14 fishermen were from West Bengal.
In return, two Indian-owned fishing boats were also handed over to Indian authorities by the Bangladesh Coast Guard. Additionally, the Indian Coast Guard reciprocated by transferring 128 Bangladeshi fishermen and five Bangladeshi fishing boats to the Bangladesh Coast Guard. The exchange took place at the International Maritime Boundary Line in the Bay of Bengal.
Under a reciprocal agreement, Bangladeshi fishermen detained in India were repatriated. The coast guards of both countries facilitated the exchange at the International Maritime Boundary Line. The repatriated Bangladeshi fishermen, including a group of 13 who had drifted into Indian waters and reached the Andhra Pradesh coast, departed from Visakhapatnam port aboard an Indian Naval ship.
Officials ensured the repatriated fishermen were provided with new clothes as directed by Visakhapatnam Collector M. N. Harindranath. The incident involving the detention of 13 Bangladeshi fishermen by marine police in Srikakulam district occurred on November 30 last year. The fishermen had reached Musavanipeta of Etcherla mandal in the district after being stranded at sea due to fuel and food shortages.
According to marine police reports, the boat carrying the Bangladeshi fishermen had drifted towards the coasts of West Bengal and Odisha before reaching the Srikakulam coast. The fishermen explained that they had lost their way while fishing in Bangladeshi waters, leading them to unintentionally drift towards the Indian coast. Locals provided them with food and medicine as they had been starving for 15 days.
Meanwhile, Janakiram Vasupalli, the President of the AP Mechanised Fishing Boats Union, expressed gratitude to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for the safe repatriation of the Indian fishermen.
