Unless you have been living under a rock, you would know that things haven’t aren’t smooth between India and Bangladesh, ever since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country in August 2024, after widespread student protests. Both the countries have been navigating tough tides since.
Even as India–Bangladesh relations continue to witness a strain, the two neighbours demonstrated pragmatic cooperation at sea on Thursday (January 29, 2026), carrying out a coordinated exchange of detained fishermen and fishing boats in the Bay of Bengal. The move was facilitated by the coast guards of both countries.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said it facilitated the safe repatriation of 23 Indian fishermen and two fishing boats, while simultaneously handing over 128 Bangladeshi fishermen and five fishing boats to the Bangladesh Coast Guard. The exchange took place at the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Bay of Bengal on January 29, 2026, involving Indian Coast Guard ships Samudra Paheredar and Vijaya.
“Reaffirming mutual trust and strengthening maritime cooperation across shared seas,” the ICG said in a post on X, highlighting the coordinated nature of the operation.
Why were the fishermen detained?
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the fishermen on both sides had inadvertently crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line while fishing, a recurring issue in the narrow and resource-rich waters of the Bay of Bengal. “Indian fishermen who inadvertently crossed the IMBL had been arrested by Bangladesh authorities recently. Bangladesh fishermen had also been apprehended by Indian authorities similarly,” the MEA said.
The MEA said the two governments successfully concluded the release and repatriation of all detained fishermen along with their operable vessels, stressing that the arrangement was guided by humanitarian and livelihood concerns.
Earlier, in December 2025 and January 2026, India had facilitated the release of 142 Indian fishermen, while reciprocally releasing 128 Bangladeshi fishermen, setting the groundwork for Thursday’s exchange.
What did Bangladesh say?
Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the handover, saying the operation was carried out by the coast guards of both countries at the IMBL. The ministry said Bangladesh received 128 Bangladeshi fishermen and five Bangladeshi-owned fishing boats, while handing over 23 Indian fishermen and two Indian boats to the Indian Coast Guard.
The repatriation, it added, was the result of coordinated efforts across multiple Bangladeshi agencies, including the ministries of foreign affairs, home affairs, fisheries, shipping, Border Guard Bangladesh, police and local administrations.
The MEA said the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh closely monitored the well-being of the detained Indian fishermen during their incarceration. “They were provided with warm jackets and ensured the provision of essential items,” the statement said, reiterating that India attaches the highest importance to the safety, security and welfare of Indian fishermen.
Why does this matter amid India–Bangladesh tensions?
The exchange comes against the backdrop of uneasy bilateral ties, marked by political churn in Bangladesh and sharper diplomatic exchanges in recent months.
Yet, officials on both sides signalled that maritime cooperation and humanitarian coordination remain insulated from broader political friction, especially when livelihoods of fishing communities are at stake.