• Source:JND
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The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Tuesday apprehended 78 Bangladesh fishermen engaged in fishing within Indian waters, news agency ANI reported. The arrests came during a routine patrol by an IGC ship which identified suspicious activity within the Indian Maritime Zone near the International Maritime Boundary Line.

The ICG ship intercepted 2 Bangladesh fishing trawlers engaged in unauthorized fishing activities, the maritime force said in a statement. It termed the action a "significant operation aimed at safeguarding maritime security".

"The vessels were identified as "FV Laila-2" and "FV Meghna-5", both registered in Bangladesh with 41 & 37 crew respectively," the Indian Coast Guard added. The Indian Coast Guard Ship, whilst on patrol along IMBL identified suspicious activity within Indian Maritime Zone, it said.

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Notably, the action by ICG against illegal trespassers came as the relationship between the two countries remains strained over the issue of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. The Hindus and other minorities living in Bangladesh are currently facing systematic attacks from extremists. Several incidents of vandalism and arson at Hindu temples have been reported in the country, prompting concerns from New Delhi.

While the interim government led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus reiterated its commitment to ensure the minority rights in the country, the absence of concrete actions mounted further stress on the bilateral relations between the two neighbours.

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In another news, the ISKCON Kolkata centre on Tuesday urged the UNHCR to address the atrocities against religious minorities in Bangladesh, describing such human rights violations as deeply distressing. ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson Radharamn Das emphasized the need for Bangladesh's interim government to take decisive action against fundamentalist groups inciting unrest, including arresting them, to restore confidence among the country's minority communities.