Bengal fisherman with hearing, speech disabilities dies in Bangladesh jail
Times of India | 17 November 2025
Kolkata: A fisherman with hearing and speech disabilities from Bengal's Kakdwip has died in a prison in Bangladesh, his family was informed on Saturday. Bablu Das, 32, had been intercepted by Bangladesh navy along with 33 other Indian fishermen in July for allegedly venturing into the country's waters and was lodged in a prison.
Bangladeshi authorities told Das's family that he died of a "massive heart attack". They said he fell seriously ill in prison on Nov 15 and was rushed to a local hospital where he died during treatment. But his family members have refused to accept the explanation. "This is not a natural death," said Bablu's brother Basudev Das. "We suspect he was tortured in jail. This was a pre-meditated murder," he added.
Das's family has demanded that his body be brought back to India without delay.
Satyanath Patra, of Sundarban Marine Fishermen Workers' Union, said the issue has been raised with the Centre and "efforts are on to bring the body to Kakdwip soon". Bengal govt officials also said they expect Das's body to arrive in Kakdwip's Gangadharpur shortly.
The South 24 Parganas administration said diplomatic communication was in progress to obtain clearances to repatriate the body.
Police sources said that on July 13, two trawlers named "FB Mangalchandi" and "FB Jhar" from Kakdwip, which had gone deep into the sea to catch hilsa, were seized by the Bangladesh navy for allegedly venturing into Bangladeshi waters.
Thirty-four fishermen were arrested and handed over to Bangladesh's Mongla Port police under the country's Marine Fisheries Act 2020 and on a court's order were remanded in judicial custody.
Families of the other fishermen who are lodged in Bangladeshi prison as undertrials said fishermen sometimes unknowingly violate marine boundaries while fishing and then suffer severe consequences. They have urged both countries to intervene.
On Jan 4 this year, 95 fishermen from Bangladesh, who had been imprisoned for allegedly violating marine boundaries, were returned to India as part of a prisoner swap in which 12 Bangladeshi fishermen in Bengal's Diamond Harbour jail were released. CM Mamata Banerjee had met these fishermen and their families in Ganga Sagar, and after speaking to them had alleged custodial torture.