West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to welcome 95 Indian fishermen who were handed over by the Bangladesh Coast Guard to the Indian Coast Guard on Sunday. Reports suggested that when Mamata Banerjee reaches Gangasagar on 6 January, she will personally greet the fishermen. As part of the gesture, each fisherman will receive Rs 10,000 and a shawl as a gift. The state government is showcasing its efforts in bringing them back home, and this initiative highlights that commitment, according to administrative sources. The fishermen were detained last October for allegedly entering Bangladesh’s territorial waters, and their trawlers were also seized.

Despite the passage of time, they could not return home. On Sunday, India and Bangladesh completed the reciprocal repatriation of 95 Indian fishermen detained in Bangladesh and 90 Bangladeshi fishermen held in India. The handover took place in the middle of the Bay of Bengal near the International Maritime Boundary Line. Arrangements have been made to accommodate the returning fishermen safely. Bankim Chandra Hazra, state Minister of Sundarban Affairs of West Bengal, and MLA Monturam Pakhira have been assigned the responsibility of welcoming them. When Mamata Banerjee arrives at Gangasagar on 6 January, she will greet the fishermen with Rs 10,000 and a shawl each. This initiative is being seen as a reflection of the state government’s tireless efforts to bring them back. The delay in the return of the fishermen caused growing anxiety among families and authorities, especially amid strained IndiaBangladesh relations following incidents such as Sheikh Hasina’s departure and the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna.

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The news that the fishermen are set to return has brought joy to their families. Reports also confirm that the fishermen will return with their trawlers. India and Bangladesh on Thursday announced that they have agreed to release the fishermen in each other’s custody after they crossed the border, a move that came amid strain in their bilateral ties. The mutual exchange of fishermen and their vessels has been worked out, keeping in mind the primarily humanitarian and livelihood concerns of the fishing communities on both sides, a government statement said.