Dhaka crisis: Fishing harbours in Sunderbans under watch to stop infiltration

Kolkata, Aug 10 (IANS) With the crisis in neighbouring Bangladesh sparking apprehensions of illegal immigration through marine borders in the Sunderbans area, coastal police in West Bengal is on high alert.

Fishing harbours and jetties scattered over South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas Districts are under constant surveillance by coastal police.

West Bengal Police sources said that there are apprehensions that illegal immigrants might reach the Sunderbans area by trying to pass off their boats as local motorised fishing vessels.

Sources added that the Fraserganj Fishing Harbour in particular has been kept under tight surveillance considering that hundreds of local fishing boats are anchored there and leave daily for deep sea fishing.

The coastal police personnel are working in close coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF) men deputed at the floating outposts there and the members of the Indian Coast Guard.

State police sources said the local fishermen, harbour and jetty operators are also being apprised about the role that they can play in helping the security forces in foiling any illegal immigration attempts.

“Those going for deep sea fishing have always been asked to keep their Indian citizenship documents as well as the requisite papers related to fishing permission ready during the voyage, so that they can be presented anytime on being intercepted by the security personnel.

“Most importantly, original copies of these documents have to be retained during the voyage and not photocopies,” said a senior official of the West Bengal Police.

He added that the fishermen have been advised to get in touch with the security personnel if they see any unknown vessel or suspicious movement of any boat near the marine borders while fishing.

As per latest information, joint teams of the coastal police force and forest department staff are mainly guarding the connecting points of the innumerable creeks with the main river, using high-end motorised boats.

On the other hand, the BSF, using motorised and speed boats, and other vessels has intensified patrolling on the marine borders scattered in the Sunderbans area.

Private vessels coming to their notice are intercepted, searched and the citizenship credentials of the passengers are being checked.

In addition, a hovercraft of the Coast Guard has also been deployed in the Sunderbans area for round-the-clock monitoring of the situation.