Chattogram, Jan 7, 2025 (BSS) - A total of 90 Bangladeshis, including 78 fishermen and 12 sailors, who were detained in an Indian jail for weeks, returned this morning.

In a reciprocity process, Bangladeshi authorities handed over six Indian fishing trawlers along with 95 Indian fishermen, who had been detained in local jails here since last October.

Bangladeshi fishermen and sailors were brought to the Bangladesh Coast Guard Jetty in the Karnaphuli channel in Patenga, and officials handed them over to their families, said Captain Zahirul Hoque, Zonal Commander of the Bangladesh Coast Guard East Zone told a briefing at the Coast Guard Jetty.

"The Bangladeshi nationals boarding two fishing vessels (FV Laila-2, FV Meghna-5) arrived at the jetty around 9 am," he said.

The Indian authorities handed over the 90 fishermen and sailors to the Bangladesh Coast Guard Sunday afternoon through a prisoner exchange program held at the Bangladesh-India Maritime Boundary Line, as part of a bilateral agreement between the two countries.

A Coast Guard patrol boat escorted the two fishing trawlers from Khulna to Chattogram last night, the captain said. 

Among the 90 returnees, 78 were on board of two Bangladeshi fishing trawlers, FV Laila-2 and FV Meghna-5, which were detained by the Indian Coast Guard near the Hiron Point area on December 9.

The remaining 12 were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard on September 12 last year as their fishing boat sank in the sea, said Captain Zahirul Hoque.

On the next day, trawler owners and the Department of Shipping informed the matter to the Coast Guard, he said.

He said the Indian Coast Guard detained Bangladeshi fishermen and sailors allegedly on charges of fishing inside the Indian maritime boundary. Later, the Bangladeshis were sent to jail in India's Urishya province following a court order.

On the other hand, six Indian fishing trawlers along with 95 Indian fishermen, who had been detained in local jails here since October last, were also caught by the Bangladesh Coast Guard while they were also fishing inside Bangladesh's sea territory.