121 fishermen sentenced for violating ban on fishing

BARISAL, Oct 10 (UNB): A total of 121 fishermen were sentenced to different prison terms in 12 upazilas of Barisal division for violating ban on fishing hilsa during the first four days that started on Oct 6. Bankim Chandra Mondol, deputy director of directorate of fisheries, said in first three days of the 11-day ban, fishery directorate conducted 108 drives, seized 9.37 metric tons of hilsa and 0.365m meter fishing nets, realized fine over Tk 90,000 and jailed 114 fishermen for one to two months and lodged 40 cases in the division. A mobile court led by Ahsan Habib, Hizla Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), sentenced seven fishermen to different terms for violating the ban on Sunday. The convicts are Zahangir Majhi, Saiful Islam, Muhammad Hossain, Sabuj Shikdar, Jewel Bepari, Saiful Molla and Munir Hossain. Rafiqul Hossain, officer-in-charge of Hizla police station, said the seven fishermen were arrested while fishing in Meghna and Arial Kha Rivers under the upazila. Local administration and law enforcing agencies continued drives against fishing in open water sources to execute the 11-day fishing ban started from October 6 to facilitate safe spawning of hilsa fish. Under the fisheries ordinance amended in October 2005, fisherman or trader who will violate the ban may be fined up to Tk 1,000 with six months' imprisonment for the first time and the punishment would be double if the same offence is repeated by the same offender, the officials said. Officials of the local administration, directorate of fisheries, and different law enforcing agencies accompanied the drives. The 11-day restriction imposed by the directorate of fisheries on catching hilsa-the favourite delicacy for all Bengalis-will be in force till October 16 to ensure safe spawning as well as proper breeding environment for the mother fish. 'This time we have slapped the 11-day ban not only on netting hilsa in certain rivers and coastal areas, but also on marketing, sales and transportation of the fish across the country,' Bankim Chandra said. To avoid complicacy, a total fishing ban would also be valid in 7,000 square kilometres of hilsa breeding zones at four points of seven coastal districts, including Barisal, he added. Meanwhile, the fisheries directorate launched a campaign to make the 11-day restriction a success through creating awareness among fishermen, fish traders and the consumers. The directorate also called upon the people to refrain from eating hilsa during the spawning season.