8 Andhra fishermen held by Bangladesh Navy after boat drifts across border; AP govt steps in

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh State Government is making efforts to secure the safe return of eight fishermen from Vizianagaram district who were detained by the Bangladesh Navy after their fishing vessel inadvertently strayed into their waters.

The State Government was immediately alerted to the incident and has since established constant coordination with the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Official discussions are actively progressing through AP Bhavan in New Delhi to expedite the process. The State has also reached out to the MEA’s Joint Secretary, B Shyam, to monitor the case’s progress.

Here are the key actions taken for the rescue:

- A special legal team constituted by the Indian High Commission in Dhaka is providing all necessary legal aid to the fishermen and actively working for their release.

- The State Government has appealed to the Bangladesh Embassy for essential cooperation.

- Authorities are continuously in touch with the distressed families in Vizianagaram to provide support and reassurance.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, has intervened by speaking with the Union Minister of External Affairs, Dr S Jaishankar, requesting immediate steps for the fishermen’s swift return.

State Minister for MSME, SERP, and NRI Affairs, Kondapalli Srinivas, is monitoring the situation and attempting to establish contact with the fishermen via satellite phone to check on their welfare.

Following instructions from District Collector S Ramsundar Reddy, Vizianagaram RDO D Keerthi visited Visakhapatnam to meet with the affected families. She reassured them and explained the government's comprehensive repatriation efforts.