The 78 Bangladeshi nationals apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard for entering the Indian waters are waiting for a green signal from the government of India to be repatriated to their country.

The Indian government is believed to be delaying its nod as it would like to use this as a bargaining chip for the release of 95 Indian fishermen currently lodged in Bangladeshi jail.

For the last three days, the detained Bangladeshi fishermen have been cooling their heels in Paradip. Sources said the delay in their release
was on account of the Indian government’s insistence on the release of Indian fishermen arrested by Bangladeshi authorities. The arrested Indian nationals have been languishing in Bangladesh jails since October.

The local Paradip police had given the fishermen the due clearance following the due procedure of law, such as verification of their identity cards and other documents to ascertain their credentials.

Paradip deputy superintendent of police Santosh Jena told The Telegraph: “The 78 Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard on Monday (December 9) around 145 nautical miles away from Paradip while netting the fish. The Indian Coast Guard brought them to Paradip on Tuesday (December 10) around 4pm.”

The DSP said: “The next day, they handed over to us for required legal verification. After the legal verification, we handed over the people to the Indian Coast Guard according to their demands. They will take a call on how the people will be repatriated.”

The fishermen were intercepted onboard two vessels, FV Laila-2 and FV Meghna-5, near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) during a routine surveillance. Sources said around 160 tonnes of fish were seized from the two trawlers. FV Laila-2 had carried 41 crew members and FV Meghna-5 had 37. The fish were in the ice chambers of the trawlers.

“Though it has been decided to repatriate the Bangladeshi nationals, it has not been decided when they will be taken to the IMBL border and released. Our job is over. Now the Indian Coast Guard will take a call on the issue after remaining in touch with the ministry of external affairs,” said a senior official.

The Indian Coast Guard seized the vessels because they were operating in
Indian waters in violation of international maritime laws and the Maritime Zones of India Act, 1981.

The officials posted at Paradip Coast Guard remained tight-lipped on the issue. “They are in our custody. We have no more information about it. They have been put up in their trawlers only. The ministry of external affairs will take a call when they will be released,” said a Coast Guard official.

Sources said the government of India wanted a swapping of the fishermen in exchange for fishermen who had been languishing in Bangladesh jail.

The 95 Indian fishermen from South 24 Parganas district, who were arrested for allegedly crossing the maritime boundary, remain uncertain amid ongoing political unrest.

In a related development, Odisha police have asked all the 18 marine police stations to remain alert as Bangladeshi infiltrators use the sea route to enter the state.