40 fishermen held for defying Hilsha ban in Chandpur

A joint team of mobile court in a drive arrested 41 fishermen along with current nets and Hilsha from the rivers Padma and Meghna in the district in the last 24 hours for violating the government’s ongoing 22-day ban on Hilsha fishing.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chandpur Naval Station Md Kamruzzaman said a total of 41 fishermen were arrested with 25 kg of mother Hilsha, five fishing boats and 10 lakh metres of banned current nets during the drive in the river Padma and Meghna in the district.

Among them, one person was released as he was a minor and the rest of the fishermen were sent to jail after filing a case, he said.

The joint team of the mobile court includes officials of the Fisheries Department, District Administration, Upazila Administration, Police and Naval Police.

The government has imposed a 22-day ban starting from October 7 on catching, selling, storing and transporting Hilsha, to ensure the safe spawning of the mother Hilsha, during its peak breeding period.