Bangladeshi fishermen on fast for early deportation

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Bhadrak, Orissa, Apr 26 (UNI) All 13 Bangladeshi fishermen, who were rescued during a storm in September last from the Dhamara Coast, have resorted to an indefinite hunger strike since last night demanding their early deportation.

Nine of them were admitted to the Bhadrak District Headquarters hospital this morning as their condition deteriorated following the fast.

The fishermen were caught in the mid sea during the storm when their boat capsized. They were rescued by a Thailand vessel and ultimately handed over to an Indian vessel which brought them to the Dhamara coast on September 21.

They were then taken to Bhadrak police station and kept in police custody. The local Red Cross and a Marwari Sangh volunteered to look after their well being and provided food.

For quite sometime the fishermen were agitating over the delay in their deportation to Bangladesh and drew the authority's attention several times in the past six months but in vain.

Few days ago one of the fishermen attempted to commit suicide when he came to know that his son was suffering from blood cancer.

Yesterday, all the 13 fishermen decided to go for an indefinite fast demanding their early deportation and stopped taking food served to them by the Red Cross and other voluntary organisations.

When contacted the district officials claimed that they had made several representations to the Union Home Ministry and the Bangladeshi embassy in Delhi in the past to initiate the process of deportation.

Meanwhile, the fishermen admitted to the Bhadrak hospital said they would not take any food unless the authorities deported them to their country.

UNI DP PC HS BST1338

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