At least six Bangladeshi fishing vessels along with dozens of crew inadvertently crossed into the Indian waters in the Bay of Bengal last week, owing to inclement weather, and those have remained in India since then, officials of the foreign ministry told The Independent yesterday. Following diplomatic manoeuvres between the two countries, Bangladesh Navy is due to bring those back home with 83 to 87 crew today (Monday), they said. According to the officials, fishing vessels named – Allahr Dan, Farhad, Nahid, Ma Ganga, Kusum and Abdullah – were forced about 15 nautical miles into Indian territory by rough weather and those were detected by the Indian Air searching aircraft and subsequently rescued by the Indians.
Another Bangladeshi vessel remains missing and no detail about it could be obtained, they said. Among the vessels, they added, Nahid was rescued by other Indian vessels.
Of the vessels, the officials said, Allahr Dan has 15 crewmen, Farhad 16, Nahid 18, Ma Ganga 14 and Kusum and Abdullah has 10-12 each. While no casualties have yet been reported, out of the six vessels two were badly damaged, the said.
Nahid is now under the jurisdiction of Kolkata Kotwali Police Station, Allahr Dan and Farhad under Fraserganj Coast Guard Station and Ma Ganga, Kusum and Abdullah are in the Indian side of the Sunderbans, said the officials.
The Indian authorities informed the Bangladesh side about these fishing vessels and Bangladesh immediately started work to bring them back along with the crew, they said.
Two Bangladesh Navy frigates– Swadhinota and Protyoy – that were offshore entered the Indian waters yesterday, the officials said.
The Bangladeshi patrol boats will join the Indians in search for the missing vessel, they said.
The patrol boats are due to bring back the vessels and crew today (Monday), they added.
The Indians showed interest to repair the two damaged vessels, but Bangladesh wants to get the matter resolved sooner rather than later, said the officials.