15 Bangladeshi fishermen stuck in India return home after 9 months

A total of 15 Bangladeshi fishermen who were stranded in India following a storm have been repatriated through the Benapole border after nine months. India's Petrapole immigration handed over the fishermen, hailing from Barguna and Pirojpur, to Benapole immigration police at around 7pm on Friday. Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel from both countries were present at the time of the handover.

The fishermen were caught in a storm while fishing for ilish in the Bay of Bengal on August 18, 2022. Their trawler's engine malfunctioned during a sudden storm and they ended up drifting into Indian waters. After spending 36 hours adrift at sea, they were rescued by Indian fishermen, who handed them over to the Indian Coast Guard.

The Indian Coast Guard detained the fishermen on charges of unauthorized entry. Out of the group, 66 Bangladeshis had already been sent back to Bangladesh. The remaining fishermen were only allowed to return home after their citizenship was confirmed, and the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata took the initiative to send them back.

Benapole port police station Officer-in-Charge Kamal Hossain Bhuiyan said the fishermen were handed over to the immigration port police station.

After completing the official procedure, they were finally returned to their families, he added.