Bangladesh Navy has detained 14 Indian fishermen for illegally entering Bangladesh’s maritime territory in the Bay of Bengal and fishing without permission. One Indian fishing trawler has also been seized.
The arrest took place Saturday night in the deep sea near Fairway Buoy, off the coast of Mongla port.
According to relevant sources, the fishermen and the trawler—identified as FB Parmita—were apprehended by the Navy warship BNS Bishkhali. The seized vessel was escorted by a Navy ship on Sunday morning and is expected to reach Digraj in Mongla by late afternoon.
A large quantity of hilsa and other marine fish found on the trawler will be sold through a public auction. The detained fishermen and the seized trawler will be handed over to Mongla police.
The detained fishermen are all residents of Dakshin 24 Parganas district in Kolkata, India, confirmed Md Zahidul Islam, Senior Fisheries Officer of Mongla Upazila.
Officer-in-Charge of Mongla Police Station, Md Anisur Rahman, stated that a case will be filed against the Indian fishermen for illegally crossing the maritime boundary and fishing in Bangladeshi waters. They will be produced before the Bagerhat court on Monday morning.
Earlier, on July 14, the Navy had detained 34 fishermen along with two Indian trawlers—FB Jhor and FB Mongolchandi—from the same area
