Finishing the final lap of the reciprocal repatriation process of arrested 185 Indian and Bangladeshi fishermen, coast guard personnel of both the countries handed over the detainees to each other at the international maritime border in the Bay of Bengal around 4.30 pm on Sunday.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will welcome the batch of 95 fishermen from the state’s South 24 Parganas district, who were repatriated on Sunday, at Sagar Island, where she will be present as part of her annual visit to oversee Gangasagar Mela preparedness on Monday.
Mamata is also like to reunite the fishermen with their families, which is said to be her move to gain some political dividend.
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) authorities, on Saturday night, brought 78 Bangladeshi fishermen to Haldia in Bengal from Odisha’s Paradip from where they were arrested for crossing the maritime border and entering Indian waters. Vessels of the ICG left Haldia on Sunday morning with a group of 90 fisherfolks, including the 12 who were released from Kakdwip jail on December 26, for the maritime border line.
“The exchange of fishermen took place at the International Maritime Border in the Bay of Bengal between the Coast Guards of both the countries. Earlier on Thursday, Bangladesh authorities released 95 Indian fishermen, who had been in Bagerhat and Patuakhali jails since October, and handed them over to us,” said an official of the ICG.
Additionally, two Bangladeshi fishing vessels detained in India and five Indian fishing trawlers held in Bangladesh were also exchanged as part of the process.
The repatriation exercise is said to be a fallout of India’s first diplomatic move by releasing 12 Bangladeshi fishermen from the Kakdwip prison in South 24 Parganas on December 26. Next day, the interim government of Bangladesh announced that they would also release the arrested Indian fishermen.
“The first diplomatic move on our part by releasing 12 Bangladeshi fishermen was aimed at two narratives. One is bringing back our men home and the other is giving the international forums a message about India’s positive approach to maintain a healthy bilateral ties with Bangladesh after the changes in the neighbouring country’s politics,” said an official of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Centre’s diplomacy, Mamata’s dividend
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s decision to welcome the fishermen released from Bangladesh jails and reunite them with their families is said to be aimed to gain political dividend in the backdrop of her rival party BJP’s relentless attack accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress of appeasing a particular minority community in Bengal who are majority in Bangladesh and involved in atrocities on Hndu minorities there.
“The fishermen are now under the protection of the Coast Guard personnel. The group of 95 fishermen will be handed over to us by Monday morning. We will directly take them to Sagar Island where the CM will be present. The chief minister expressed her concern over the fishermen’s detention in Bangladesh jails. She will meet them personally,” said a police officer of South 24 Parganas.
Earlier, Mamata did not miss an opportunity to highlight how she was worried about the fishermen from Bengal who were in Bangladesh’s jail. She also castigated the Centre on this issue.
During her speech in the Assembly on December 2, Mamata regretted that despite her government’s help to the fishermen’s families to secure legal assistance in Bangladesh, the Centre had done precious little for their release.
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