The Bangladesh Navy detained nine Indian nationals and seized a fishing trawler on charges of crossing into Bangladesh’s maritime territory and fishing without permission.
According to Mongla Thana officer-in-charge Md Anisur Rahman, Navy members intercepted the trawler near the Fairway Buoy in the Bay of Bengal on Thursday morning. The detainees were later handed over to Mongla Thana police at night, after which a case was filed by the Navy.
The OC said the nine fishermen are set to be produced before court on Friday and will be transferred to the district jail.
This brings to 71 the number of Indian fishermen held in Bangladeshi waters over roughly the last three and a half months. Earlier, 34 fishermen were detained with two trawlers on July 14, another 14 with one trawler on August 3, and 14 more with one trawler on October 17, all from the same area. The 62 men picked up in those operations remain in Bagerhat District Jail.
