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The families of more than 50 Bangladeshi fishermen claim that the Indian Coast Guard has arrested and sent them to jail for crossing into the country’s territorial waters while fishing in the Bay of Bengal.
Some of them have spoken to their families via video call from Indian prisons, providing immense relief to their families are still alive, reports bdnews24.com.
Others have come to know “through their contacts” that their family members have been arrested by the Indian Coast Guard. Now they spend their days worrying.
The families say 13 fishermen from Lalmohan Upazila in Bhola were arrested by the Indian Coast Guard on Nov 10. Another 28 fishermen from Kutubdia were detained on Nov 19, alongside 26 more fishermen from Kutubdia and Banshkhali that same day. Finally, on Nov 30, 15 more fishermen from Kutubdia were detained.
The fishermen from Kutubdia and Banshkhali were arrested over the course of two weeks.
Reports have also been published in the Indian media about the arrest and imprisonment of Bangladeshi fishermen.
Detained fishermen have previously been returned to their home countries through meetings and discussions between the coast guards and administrative levels of the two countries at various times.