13 more Indian fishermen jailed in Bagerhat

A Bagerhat court has sent 13 Indian fishermen to jail in a case filed against them for intruding into Bangladeshi waters that are part of its Exclusive Economic Zone, and carrying on for commercial fishing, reports UNB.

The court of Bagerhat judicial magistrate Shawon Hossain passed the order after the accused were produced before it on Saturday afternoon.

Bagerhat court inspector Dilip Kumar Sarkar confirmed the development to the news agency.

Earlier on Thursday, a Coast Guard patrol vessel spotted foreign trawler ‘Pita Matar Ashirbad’ illegally fishing within Bangladesh’s maritime boundary.

Sensing their presence, the fishermen tried to flee but the CG detained them along with the trawler, just 17 nautical miles southwest of Mongla Fairway Buoy.

The seized trawler and the detainees were handed over to Mongla police station, said Bangladesh Coast Guard media officer Lt. Commander Amirul Haque.

Mongla police station officer-in-charge Monirul Islam said a case was filed against the 13 Indian fishermen on behalf of the Coast Guard.

An almost identical incident occurred last month, when the Coast Guard’s inshore patrol vessel ‘Sonar Bangla’ spotted a foreign trawler, this time the ‘Shornotara’ illegally fishing inside the Bangladeshi waters and detained 13 Indian fishermen.

A case was filed against them and the court of Bagerhat chief judicial magistrate sent 11 of them to jail, while two others were sent to Jashore Juvenile Correctional Institution as they were minors.