Kolkata: Fourteen Indian fishermen returned home on Saturday after being released from jail in Bangladesh, where they were imprisoned for over three months. They were handed over to their families at the Fraserganj fishing harbour in South 24-Parganas.
According to administrative sources, on October 13, 2025, 14 fishermen set off from Kultali in trawler ‘FB Shubhayatra’ for deep-sea fishing. On October 19, the trawler’s engine broke down in the middle of the sea, and it drifted into Bangladeshi waters. The Bangladeshi Navy detained them on charges of intrusion, and they were sent to jail custody by order of the Bagerhat district court.
The families of the detained fishermen were at a loss as to how to bring their loved ones home. However, diplomatic discussions began to bring the imprisoned fishermen back to India.
On Friday, the exchange process of fishermen between the two countries was completed in the India-Bangladesh maritime boundary in the presence of the coast guards of both countries. India received 23 fishermen. In exchange, 115 Bangladeshi fishermen were handed over to Bangladesh.
Of the 23 Indian fishermen, 14 are residents of Kakdwip, Kultali, and Hooghly. The remaining 9 are residents of Andhra Pradesh.
Kakdwip Sub-Divisional Officer Pritam Saha, police top brass and top Coast Guard officials were present during the handover.