Six Bangladeshi fishermen returned home on Saturday after spending nine months in jail in India.
After all the immigration formalities, the Indian police handed them to Bangladesh authorities through Benapole Port Police Station in the morning.
The returnees are Rahmat Ullah, 45, son of Siddique Mia of Patuakhali district, Golam Rafi, 34, son of Abdul Manik of Patuakhali district, Jamal Hossain, 56, son of Mannan, Masum Billah, 39, son of Abdul Jalil, Hossain, 38, son of Nazir Hossain, Yasin, 31, son of Abdur Rahman and Rashida Begum, 34, daughter of Shafiuddin Kazi of Dinajpur district.
Imtiaz Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Benapole Immigration Checkpost, said the fishermen were detained by the Indian Coast Guard 10 months ago while they were fishing in the sea.
Later, at one stage of the high-level exchange of letters between the two countries, they returned to the country through special travel permits issued by the Indian government, he added.
Benapole Port Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rasel Mia said the returnees were handed over to the non-government NGO Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association after formalities of the police station.
Rekha Biswas, coordinator of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association, said they crossed the border and entered the Indian side 10 months ago while fishing in the sea.
At that time, the Indian Coast Guard detained them and handed them over to the court. The court sentenced them to nine months' imprisonment and sent them to Alipur jai, she said.
The National Women Lawyers' Association has brought them back to the country with legal aid. They will be handed over to their families after informing their families in Jashore, she added.
