31 Indian fishermen arrested for trespassing in Bay released
Manjur Morshed Tuhin, Patuakhali
Thirty one Indian fishermen detained by the Navy for infiltrating Bangladesh have been released.
These fishermen were handed over from the Patuakhali District Jail to the Coast Guard South Zone on the orders of the court as the case was withdrawn as per the extradition agreement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 10 am on Thursday. Patuakhali District Commissioner Abu Hasnat Mohammad Arefin confirmed the matter.
He said, under the prisoner exchange agreement between the two countries, the fishermen were released from the Patuakhali district jail in the presence of Indian High Commission representative SS Mathi. At present they have been sent to Kalapara police station. From there, the Coast Guard will take their trawlers to Indo-Bangladesh waters and hand them over to the Coast Guard of India.
Earlier on the night of October 15, during the patrolling, the Indian fishermen along with two trawlers were arrested by the Navy members on the Banauja Shahid Akhtar Uddin ship. During this time, 50 sea fish of different species including hilsa were seized. Later they were sent to the district jail through the court.
