78 Bangladeshis Apprehended By Indian Coast Guard & Brought To Odisha’s Paradip To Be Repatriated

Bhubaneswar: All the 78 Bangladeshi nationals apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard for entering the Indian territorial waters with two trawlers will be repatriated to their country and no action will be taken against them.

The Indian Coast Guard had brought the Bangladeshi nationals to Paradip in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district and handed over to local police.

Sources said police will hand over the Bangladeshi nationals to the Indian Coast Guard and they will be handed over to Bangladesh Coast Guard near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

Following a discussion between Paradip Police and the Indian Coast Guard, it has been decided that the Bangladeshi nationals will be taken to Paradip port by two buses.

After being apprehended, the Bangladeshi nationals were questioned by the Indian Coast Guard, Crime Branch, CISF and police personnel on Tuesday.

The decision about the repatriation of the Bangladeshi nationals was taken following discussions between officials of Bangladesh, the Indian Embassy, Senior Crime Branch officials and police personnel.

It may be noted that the Indian Coast Guard had seized two Bangladeshi fishing vessels operating near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) within the Indian territorial waters on December 9. A total of 78 persons in the two vessels were found engaged in unauthorised fishing activities, contravening international maritime laws and bilateral agreements.

Subsequently, the two vessels were seized under the Maritime Zones of India Act, 1981 and were escorted to Paradip for further investigation.