Two trawlers from Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas with 28 fishermen on board have been nabbed by Bangladeshi authorities in the last 36 hours. They had sneaked across the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in search of a better catch. The trawlers have GPS sets and other navigational aids but the crew refuse to abide by the law, a source in the external affairs ministry said.
“Over the last few weeks, we have had four Indian trawlers (including the two in the last 36 hours) crossing the IMBL and being apprehended by Bangladeshi authorities. Now, there are more than 50 Indian fishermen in Bangladeshi custody. Unfortunately, we can’t take up their cause. There is a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Bangladesh for the rescue and return of fishermen who stray across the IMBL due to bad weather or mechanical failure. In this case, the fishermen breached the IMBL by choice,” the source said.
According to an official in the ministry of defence, campaigns are organised regularly to create awareness among fishermen about the perils of crossing the IMBL. He said some fishermen shut down their GPS sets close to the IMBL, in the hope that they will be let off for their crime. But Bangladesh navy and coast guard vessels maintain strict vigil. In some cases, Bangladeshi fishermen surround the Indian trawlers and attempt to sink them, resulting in injuries. “This is also a security threat. We shouldn’t forget how the Indian trawler Kuber was taken over in Pakistani waters by terrorists and used to carry out the strike on Mumbai. Fishing associations and state officials need to warn fishermen against such misadventures,” the MoD official said.