India and Bangladesh announced on Thursday that they agreed to release fishermen in each other's custody for crossing the border. This decision comes at a time when their bilateral relations have been under strain.

The agreement states that on January 5, India will release 90 Bangladeshi fishermen and Bangladesh will turn over 95 Indian fishermen to Indian authorities. “The mutual exchange of fishermen and their vessels has been worked out, keeping in mind the primarily humanitarian and livelihood concerns of the fishing communities on both sides,” a government statement said. According to the Indian government's statement, fishermen who inadvertently violate the maritime border while fishing in disputed areas frequently face arrest.

"In recent months, several Indian fishermen have been arrested by Bangladesh authorities when they happened to inadvertently cross the International Maritime Boundary Line and entered Bangladesh waters," said the statement. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) mentioned that many Bangladeshi fishermen have been caught by Indian authorities under similar circumstances.

Relations between India and Bangladesh became tense after the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, took power. India has been worried about the attacks on minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh. The relationship worsened further last month when the interim government sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi requesting the extradition of the deposed Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, from India. In August, Hasina fled Bangladesh due to widespread anti-government rallies and has been residing in India ever since then.