Twenty three Indian fishermen were released from Bagerhat district jail on Tuesday following a court order.

Jail authorities handed them over to the Bangladesh Coast Guard around 11:00 am.

Officials from the Indian High Commission, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, police, and an executive magistrate from the district administration were present at the time.

After the handover, Coast Guard members escorted the fishermen to Mongla under security.

They are expected to be handed over to the Indian Coast Guard at the midpoint of the Bangladesh-India maritime boundary on Thursday.

The fishermen were arrested in two phases in October, 2025 for illegally entering Bangladesh waters and fishing there.

Navy members detained 14 fishermen along with one trawler in one incident and other 9 fishermen with another trawler in a separate incident.

Read More: Bangladesh, India repatriate fishermen released from custody

Later, cases were filed against them under the Marine Fisheries Act and they were sent to the jail.

Bagerhat Jail Superintendent Md Mostafa Kamal said on January 20 this year a Bagerhat court acquitted all 23 Indian fishermen of the charges.

Later, on January 25, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order for their repatriation and the fishermen were released from jail following the order, he said.

Coast Guard Mongla West Zone Lieutenant Commander Selim Biswas said Coast Guard members will depart from Mongla by sea with the fishermen and they will be handed over to the Indian Coast Guard at the midpoint of the Bangladesh–India maritime boundary on Thursday.

Earlier, 47 Indian fishermen were released from the same jail and returned home on December 7, 2025.