Thirteen fishermen from Lalmohan upazila in Bhola, who went missing at sea 21 days ago, have been traced to a prison in West Bengal, India.
Their families spoke to them via video call on Monday, bringing relief and overwhelming joy after weeks of uncertainty. Relatives have urged the government to take immediate steps to bring them back home.
The fishermen went missing on 10 November after leaving the Batirkhal fishing ghat in Dhaligoura Nagar Union Ward 9 for a fishing trip in the Bay of Bengal. They subsequently lost contact with their families.
The detained fishermen include Maksudur Rahman, Khokon, Helal, Shamim, Sabbir, Sajib, Jahangir and Nasir Majhi from Dalil Master Bazar area in Ward 1 of Dhaligoura Nagar Union, and Abdul Malek, Faruk, Maksud, Alam Majhi and another Faruk from Batirkhal area in Ward 9, totalling 13 men.
Mitu Begum, wife of fisherman Helal, said she had no information about her husband since he left for the fishing trip. She said she received a video call from him via IMO app from India, confirming that all 13 men were alive and currently held in a prison there.
She appealed to the government to bring them home quickly.
Delwar Hossain Nosu, president of BNP’s Dhaligoura Nagar Union West unit, said the families had been living in deep distress, desperately searching for information about their loved ones.
He said the confirmation from India had eased their worries and urged the government to initiate the necessary diplomatic process to repatriate the fishermen.
Lalmohan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sirajul Islam said the fishermen likely drifted into Indian waters while fishing, where they were detained by the Indian Navy and later handed over to local police. They are currently held in a West Bengal prison.
He said the matter will be reported to the relevant authorities, who will then begin the official procedures required to bring them back to Bangladesh.
