All 95 West Bengal fishermen to return home as Bangladesh government withdraws cases

Lakshmi Das, 29, could not hold back her tears while narrating over the phone about how happy she was on hearing the news that her husband Rajesh Das, 38, would be released soon from Patuakhali jail in Bangladesh.

All 95 fishermen from South 24 Parganas in West Bengal, who were arrested by the Bangladesh Coast Guard in October and November this year for straying into their territorial waters and are presently lodged in Bangladesh jails, are set to return home as the Bangladesh home ministry has withdrawn the cases lodged against them.

“My husband Rajesh Das, 38, was the only earning member of the family. Me and my 12-year-old son were in deep trouble. I was unable to pay his school fees and had to borrow money from neighbours to run the household. I haven’t been able to contact him as he is in jail. But ever since I heard the news of him being released, I haven’t been able to hold back my tears,” Lakshmi told HT over the phone from Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas.

Das along with 30 other fishermen were intercepted by the Bangladesh Coast Guard when two fishing trawlers strayed into Bangladesh waters on October 16. Two days later on October 18, three more trawlers with 48 fishermen on board were intercepted. On November 21, another trawler with 16 fishermen were caught.

“I cannot describe in words how happy I am. My husband will be coming home soon. Without him, me and our three-year-old would have been in deep trouble. My parents were sending money to support the two of us all this while. But even their financial condition isn’t good. I am just waiting for him to return,” said 23-year-old Rimpi Das, wife of Kartick Das, another fisherman.

The development comes amid rising tensions between India and Bangladesh and the ongoing political unrest in the neighbouring country.

Even though all 95 fishermen are expected to return home in the next few days, one remains missing till date. Gunamoni Das, 44, jumped into the waters to evade arrest. His family members could not be contacted.

“Our 95 fishermen are lodged in two jails in Patuakhali and Bagerhat in Bangladesh. We were all worried about their fates. But we have learnt that the Bangladesh home ministry has issued an order withdrawing the cases against all of them. They are expected to return home sometime later this week. We are very happy,” said Satinath Patra, secretary of the Sunderbans Samudrik

Matshyajibi Shramik Union, an association of fishermen in South 24-Parganas which was pursuing the case.

HT has seen a copy of the order issued by the Public Security Department of the home ministry of the Bangladesh government on December 26.

On December 9, foreign secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka and held meetings with senior officials of the caretaker administration, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. A week later, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee told the media that she has asked the state’s chief secretary to ensure the release of the fishermen from Bangladesh jails.

“This has come as a new year’s gift. Our fishermen are coming back home. The chief minister had spoken with the Centre and also to the Bangladesh deputy high commissioner in Kolkata to secure their release. The state home secretary was in constant in touch with the centre on this issue,” Manturam Pakhira, TMC legislator from Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas, said.

Meanwhile, 12 Bangladeshi fishermen lodged in a jail in South 24 Parganas in West Bengal were released on court orders last week. They accidentally entered Indian waters after their boat capsized and they landed at Patharpratima in South 24 Parganas. They were arrested under section 14 of the Foreigners Act 1946. They had been in jail since September 15.

According to data placed in the Parliament on November 29, more than 500 Indian fishermen are lodged in jails of various countries. Out of this, 95 are in Bangladesh jails, around 141 are lodged in Sri Lankan prisons and 211 are in Pakistani jails. This apart, Indian fishermen are also lodged in jails in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.