The Indian Coast Guard has released photographs of two Bangladeshi trawlers and their 78 detained crew members on their official Facebook page and X handle (formerly Twitter).
The images, published on Tuesday (10 December), provide a visual account of the incident.
In a post on their official Facebook page, titled “Indian Coast Guard,” the organisation stated: “Two trawlers with 78 crew members have been apprehended during an operation for alleged fishing in Indian territorial waters. The vessels have been taken near Para Island along with their crews.”
The accompanying photographs depict the detained sailors kneeling on the decks of the vessels, hands clasped behind their heads, under the watchful presence of armed Indian Coast Guard personnel. Another image shows the two Bangladeshi trawlers in the open sea, while a third captures the trawlers being brought to a jetty.
The seized vessels have been identified as FV Laila-2, owned by SR Fishing, and FV Meghna-5, under the ownership of C&F Agro Limited.
Suman Sen, Executive Director of C&F Agro Limited, clarified the circumstances, stating, “On Monday morning, the two trawlers were fishing within one nautical mile of Bangladesh’s maritime boundary when the Indian Coast Guard apprehended them. Since the detention has been confirmed via their Facebook post, we have informed the relevant Bangladeshi authorities to initiate legal procedures for their release.”
Commodore Mohammad Maksud Alam, director general of the Department of Shipping, commented on Tuesday that the Bangladeshi Coast Guard and other government agencies have been in communication with their Indian counterparts to secure the release of the trawlers. “The sailors are reported to be in good health,” he added.
The incident occurred near Hiron Point in Khulna’s maritime zone on Monday afternoon, when the Indian Coast Guard detained 79 Bangladeshi sailors and seized two trawlers allegedly fishing at the edge of Bangladeshi waters. While the images released show 78 sailors, details about the remaining crew member have not been disclosed.
