82 fishermen jailed for violating hilsa ban in two districts

FE Team | Published: October 26, 2023 23:38:54

A total f 68 fishermen were arrested for violating ban on hilsa fishing during the peak breeding period in Manikganj and Chandpur on Thursday, reports BSS.
In Manikganj, a total of 41 fishermen were jailed for catching hilsha defying ban on catching, selling and transporting to ensure safe spawning of the fish during its peak breeding period.
District Fisheries Officer (DFO) Md.Saifur Rahman said a total of 7, 37,000 metres of current net worth about Tk 1,40,14,000 were seized from the river Padma and Jamuna so far during the banning period.
A total of 77 cases were filed against the fishermen who violated the ban of hilsha fishing and 41 fishermen were jailed for the same, the DFO said.
Besides, 60 kilograms of hilsh fish were seized during the last 24 hours, he said adding that 35,000 metres of current net worth about Tk 7,00,000 were seized during this period.
As part of regular drive, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Manikganj Rahana Akther also conducted a special drive on the Padma and the Jamuna rivers. Besides, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Assistant Commi-ssioners (Land) of Daulatpur, Shibalaya and Harirampur upazilas have conducted separate drives regularly to save the mother Hilsha on the Padma and the Jamuna.
District Fishery Officer Md. Saifur Rahman said the seized hilsha fish has been distributed among the inmates of government Shishu Paribar and madrasa students.
The seized current nets were burnt. Some of it was also distributed among the ultra poor people who have no capacity to buy hilsha.
The locals said a group of people remain active to catch the hilsa when they get chance. The sources said they remain hiding in a safe place and when the patrol boat of the Fishery Department moves to distance locations, they start to catch hilsa.
Now the movement of hilsa has increased a lot as it is the peak season of breeding.
DFO Saifur Rahman said it is a vast area of Harirampur, Shibalaya and Daulatpur upazilas of the river Padma and Jamuna.
The illegal hilsa hunters may take chances to catchfish but our team successfully prevented them promptly.
A total of 125 drives and 31 mobile courts were conducted here and would be continued until the last date of the ban.
In Chandpur, a total of 41 fishermen were arrested from the rivers of Padma and Meghna in separate drives along with current nets and mother hilsa in the last 24-hour in the district for defying the government's ongoing a 22-day ban on Hilsha fishing.
District Fisheries Office and Naval Police conducted the separate drives in the district.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chandpur Naval thana Md. Kamruzzaman said, a total of 41 fishermen were arrested with 449-kg of mother hilsa, 18 fishing boats and 20.20 lakh meters of banned current nets during the separate drives in the river Padma and river Meghna in the district.
The mobile court sentenced 16 fishermen to different terms imprisonment.
Among them, four juvenile were released as they were minor and rests of the 21 fisherman were sent to jail with a case, he said.
The government has imposed a 22-day ban on catching, selling, storing and transporting Hilsha, to ensure safe spawning of the Mother hilsa, during its peak breeding period.