Staff Reporter:
Bangladesh yesterday repatriated 91 fishermen who had been detained in India, following diplomatic efforts by the government and completion of the required bilateral procedures.
The fishermen, along with four Bangladesh-owned fishing boats, were handed over by the Indian Coast Guard to the Bangladesh Coast Guard at the international maritime boundary line in the Bay of Bengal, according to a Foreign Ministry press release.
The release said Bangladesh has consistently facilitated the repatriation of its nationals from abroad whenever appropriate bilateral mechanisms are followed.
A number of government agencies worked in close coordination to complete the repatriation process, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh Coast Guard, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Ministry of Shipping, Bangladesh Police, local administration and other rele-vant authorities.
The government said the successful return of the fishermen reflected effective inter-agency cooperation and continued diplomatic engagement between the two neighboring countries.
