Sagar Island (WB), Jan 6: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that some of the 95 fishermen, who were released by the Bangladesh government recently, were beaten up in jail in the neighbouring country.
Banerjee felicitated the fishermen, who had been arrested for illegally entering Bangladesh waters, and described them as “victims of circumstances”.
“I found some of them were limping. When asked, the fishermen told me that they were assaulted in jail with their hands tied. As a result, they have injuries below the waist and the legs… They were crying while talking to me,” Banerjee said.
The chief minister, who was in Sagar Island to oversee the preparations for the upcoming Ganga Sagar Mela, asked the district authorities to provide the fishermen with medical treatment.
Banerjee handed over cheques of Rs 10,000 to each of them as a token of assistance to start life afresh.
The family of another fisherman who died after jumping into the water to avoid arrest was also given a cheque of Rs 2 lakh.
The chief minister announced a scheme under which two lakh fishermen of the state will get Rs 5,000 each for two months.
A total of 95 Indian fishermen and crew members on board six fishing boats were detained by the Bangladesh government after they “mistakenly” went inside the waters of the neighbouring country in October and November last year.
Most of these fishermen, who were from Kakdwip and Namkhana, were released earlier this week. The Indian Coast Guard handed over the fishermen to the district magistrate of South 24 Parganas near Sagar Island on Monday.
“Their condition would bring tears to your eyes. They are victims of circumstances. They mistakenly crossed the borders and went into the water of the Bangladesh territory,” she said.
The CM said the fishermen were spotted with the help of a card given to them by the state government. The authorities can track a fisherman with that.
“With the help of the administration, police and the local MLA, we understood that they were detained,” she said.
The Bengal CM cautioned the fishermen not to cross the international maritime boundary again.
Entering the waters of another country happens mostly during storms, she said.
The Bengal CM referred to an incident when a Bangladeshi trawler mistakenly crossed the border and came into the Indian territory a month ago when her government treated them well till they were released recently.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) also handed over 90 Bangladeshi fishermen to the authorities of their country on Sunday.
“We helped them so that our country and state are not given a bad name. We were in continuous touch with the Government of India. I want both countries to be in a cordial relationship of friendship,” she said.
Banerjee announced ‘Samudra Sathi’ project under which fishermen will get Rs 5,000 each for two months and two lakh fishermen will benefit from it.
‘Matsajibi Bandhu’ scheme will also be introduced under which the next of kin of a fisherman would be given a compensation of Rs 2 lakh “after his death,” she said.
The chief minister, however, did not elaborate on any of the two schemes.
While talking to PTI, one of the 95 fishermen said they had gone in search of hilsa, and after entering Bangladesh waters by mistake, were tortured in the neighbouring country.
“Several of us including me were beaten up. They hit me on the head and legs,” said Ashis Biswas, who has been into fishing for 20 years.
Another fisherman Samar Das echoed the same story and said he was happy to be back.
“We pleaded to them saying that it (entering Bangladesh waters) was a mistake. They did not listen to us. They took our mobile phones, kept on beating and abusing us,” Das said. (PTI)
