In yet another case of maritime trespass, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Monday detained a Bangladeshi fishing trawler in the Bay of Bengal and arrested 15 fishermen for allegedly entering Indian territorial waters.

The incident adds to a growing list of cross-border fishing violations reported in recent weeks.

According to Coast Guard officials, a patrol unit detected a suspicious vessel during routine surveillance on Monday morning. When the trawler attempted to move away, an ICG speed boat swiftly intercepted it.

Upon questioning, officers learned that the vessel—identified as FB Alla Malik—had originated from Bangladesh. The trawler was seized, and all 15 crew members were detained.

They were transported to Frasergunj port in South 24 Parganas and subsequently handed over to the Frasergunj Coastal Police Station. Police later arrested them under charges of illegal entry into Indian waters.

High-demand winter fish driving trespass

Satinath Patra, Secretary of the Sundarban Fishermen’s Union, noted that the seasonal demand for a particular high-value fish species in Bangladesh is a primary factor behind recurring incursions.

“Due to the demand in Bangladesh, trawlers keep crossing into Indian territory. This has happened several times in the past,” Patra said. He added that stricter surveillance by the ICG has led to a rise in the number of trespassing vessels being caught.

Recent surge in cross-border arrests

November alone saw several Bangladeshi trawlers intercepted for trespassing, resulting in multiple arrests on both sides of the maritime border.

The ICG has increased patrols across the Sundarbans and neighboring coastal zones, reflecting the heightened land-border security measures already in place.

Tensions have remained high since an earlier episode when 62 fishermen from Kakdwip unintentionally drifted into Bangladeshi waters while chasing Hilsa. One of the detained fishermen reportedly died in a Bangladeshi correctional facility, leaving families of the remaining men in West Bengal anxious and distressed.

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