Bangladeshi fishermen handed over to deputy high commission By T Siamchinthang
Thirteen Bangladeshi fishermen, who had been kept here after being rescued in the Bay of Bengal, were handed over to
officials of the Bangladesh deputy high commission.
Caught in a storm in which their fishing trawler capsized, these fishermen were rescued by another trawler, which brought them to Dhamra fishing harbour in Bhadrak
district on 21st September last year.Ever since the district administration had provided them shelter at different places while the district Red Cross society had spent over Rs two lakh towards meeting their food and other expenses.
The fishermen, however, repeatedly demanded that they should be allowed to go back to their own country and went on frequent hunger strike.
Even one of them Mohammed Manan, 38, frustrated at his detention, attempted suicide on 24th April, last but he was rushed to the government hospital here where his life could be saved.
The administration then put all of them into the local jail and cases were instituted against them. However, a local court acquitted all of them a few days ago.
Two officials of the Bangladesh deputy high
commission in Kolkata Abdul Samat and Mohammed Sajid Khan arrived here yesterday who were handed over the 13 fishermen.
The officials said they would be leaving for Kolkata with the fishermen tonight.
On arrival at Kolkata, they would be taken straight to the Indo-Bangladesh border where they would be handed over to the Bangladeshi border forces.
More reviews about the Delhi Post