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While 95 Indian fishermen returned on Sunday, 90 fishermen were sent back to Bangladesh. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee met them at Ganga Sagar on Monday
Mamata Banerjee met fishermen at Ganga Sagar on Monday. (News18)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said the Indian fishermen, who were released from a Bangladeshi prison on Sunday, told her they had been tortured in the neighboring country.
While 95 Indian fishermen returned on Sunday, 90 fishermen were sent back to Bangladesh. Banerjee met them at Ganga Sagar on Monday and gave them Rs 10,000 each. “These 95 fishermen are our brothers. I saw some of them could not walk properly. I asked them what happened to them. They told me that they were tortured in a prison in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi fishermen came with us, but we kept their fishermen well. We took care of them and took action to bring them back to their country. I want friendship between the two countries as before,” said Banerjee.
Banerjee emphasized that the state government has taken steps to pursue the case, which has helped in the return of the fishermen. Along with 95 fishermen, one person jumped overboard out of fear.
Banerjee directed that the fishermen be included in the government’s social welfare schemes.
Pacchu Biswas, who is over 75 years old, told News18: “When the Army arrested us, they beat us with sticks and did not listen to us. They beat us badly. I can’t even tell what happened to us. We are in pain.”
Ananda Sarkar, another fisherman, told News18, “We go to the sea to make a living. They caught us and tortured us even though we kept saying that we entered by mistake. Then they put us in jail. I thought my life would end there. Thanks to those who found us. We narrated our grief to Didi.”
Ranjan Das said, “In addition to the prison, the Navy was ruthless.”
“Their Coast Guard and Navy tied our hands behind our backs. They beat the man who was in charge of the boat,” said the rescued fisherman.
Others, too, had similar stories. “During the negotiations, we were told that we will be released. We know that we will still have to enter the water to make a living,” concluded one of them.