Mamata reunites 95 Indian fishermen with their family members at Sagar Island

Sagar Islands: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged physical torture in Bangladesh on some of the Bengal fishermen who were imprisoned there after unintentionally crossing the maritime border during a severe storm on October 20 last year.

Banerjee reunited these 95 fishermen with their families on Monday after they reached Sagar Island following a 70-day incarceration in the neighbouring country.

“I found some of them limping. On being asked, they said their hands were tied while they were beaten up with rods on their legs. They have suffered injuries from waist down. The pain is still there. I will tell the District Magistrate and MLA Kakdwip, Manturam Pakhira to help them get proper treatment after consultation with orthopedics,” said Banerjee.

She also handed over a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to Putul Das, the wife of Gunamani Das. Gunamani had jumped into the water in fear of getting captured. He could not be traced ever since. Banerjee also handed over Rs 10,000 each and a shawl to each of the 95 fishermen.

In October, six trawlers from Bengal entered Bangladesh waters. The Bangladesh Navy and the Coast Guard detained the 95 persons who were later arrested. Banerjee said that she learnt about their capture through police and administration.

“Our administration immediately acted and both the countries were in constant touch. Today the families are smiling but there was an uncertainty looming over (them) for the past two months. I will request the fishermen to be careful and not cross the border in future,” she cautioned.

On Sunday, a prisoner exchange took place in the Bay of Bengal between India and Bangladesh. India Coast Guard ships Varad and Amrit Kaur repatriated 95 Indian fishermen and four boats while handing over 90 Bangladeshi fishermen, including 12 rescued from the sunken “Kaushik,” to the Bangladesh Coast Guard.

“One Bangladesh trawler had mistakenly entered our border. Some of the fishermen in the trawler were unwell and we treated them here. I always want a friendly relationship between the two countries. Finally, both countries handed over each other’s citizens,” she remarked. Banerjee thanked the state’s chief secretary, home secretary, Director General of Police and the district magistrate and police superintendent, besides the MLAs from Kakdwip and Sagar for helping in reuniting the fishermen with their families.

Jagathari Das, one of the fishermen from Kakdwip who was reunited with his family, said that the Bangladesh Navy had beaten up some of them after their capture. “However, once we were handed over to the police, produced in court and were remanded in judicial custody, we were treated well. The pain of being estranged from the family was constant. We have no words to thank Didi (Mamata) for reuniting us with our families,” he added.