Unabated hilsa catching continues despite ban

Rampant hilsa catching has been continuing in different rivers of Chandpur , Shariatpur and coastal areas of Barishal defying a government ban on its catching during the peak breeding period from October 7 October to 28 .

To help mother hilsa laying eggs in a disturb-free environment, the fisheries department earlier issued an order asking fishermen not to catch hilsa during the 22 days.

Local sources said the fish hunting festival is going on in Dumki of Patuakhali despite the administrative campaign to preserve mother-hilsa during the breeding season.

Due to the lack of coordination between the upazila administration, fisheries department, police and local public representatives, the fishermen are using the small children and teenagers of the family to hunt mother hilsa.

The fishermen are hunting the fish day and night in at least 11 points of Payra, Patabuniya and Lohalia rivers surrounded by Pangasiya, Angaria, Lebukhali and Muradia unions of the upazila.

After 2-3 days of the ban, the fishermen along Payra, Patabuniya and Lohalia rivers became desperate. The administration is unable to stop them even though the operation is going on under the leadership of the executive magistrate, the sources added.

The administration, however, refused to accept the complaint. They claim campaign is fairly successful. The situation has come under control as 2-3 boat-trawlers and some quantity of hilsa nets have been seized in the regular operation.

The male members of each fisherman’s family go to the rivers with boats and nets, while women, children and youth all spend the night on the banks of the river. When they see the trawler of the expedition in the distance, they give a warning signal to their respective fishermen on their mobile phones.

As soon as the signal is received, boats and nets quickly enter the safe secret bushes, leaf forests and small canals and go to hide. When the trawler of the expedition left the empty river, they again cast nets and started hunting hilsa overnight. The source also said that even though tonnes of hilsa are caught in the current season, it is not being marketed.

Wholesalers are secretly buying and stocking the fish at. It will be marketed after the blockade.

Even though there is no sign of hilsa anywhere during the day, every day after sunrise and sunset, the fishermen wrap their boats and nets and fill the bags with the hilsa harvested overnight. On the one hand, the special operation of the mobile court is going on, on the other hand, hilsa hunting is continuing in the rivers.

Angaria UP Chairman Syed Golam Mortuza alleged that hilsa hunting cannot be stopped this year due to administrative weakness and lack of coordination.

According to upazila fisheries office sources, a fisherman named Farooq Howladar was arrested during regular operation.

15 thousand metres of current net along with 2 engine driven boats were seized recently.

Upazila Assistant Fisheries Officer Md Nurul Islam admitted the fact of lack of manpower and shortage of boats.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Al-Imran denied the complaint and said, “If the local people come forward to help, I will be able to control the situation 100 per cent.”

A mobile court sentenced 11 fishermen to one year in jail each for defying the hilsa fishing ban in Barishal.

The Rapid Action Battalion detained the fishermen who were catching spawning hilsa fish on the Arial Khan River in a raid based on a tip-off, RAB-8 Captain Major Mohammad Jahangir Alam said at a media briefing on 11 Oct.

“A total of 12 fishermen were detained and 30,000 metres of fishing net were recovered during the raid. The detainees were produced before the mobile court of KamrunnaharTamanna, assistant commissioner and executive magistrate at the DC office in Barishal afterwards.”

“Another fisherman was fined Tk 5,000 at the time,” Alam said.

The 11 fishermen were then sent to jail. The twelfth was released after paying the fine, he added.

Naval police arrested five fishermen along with 2,000 metres of current net while catching mother hilsa defying ban in Nariaupazila of Shariatpur on 8 Oct.

According to media sources, a mobile court on Oct 11 sentenced eight fishermen to 14 days in jail each, for catching hilsa in Chandpur from the Padma and Meghan rivers in the district.

The court led by Hajiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Rashedul Islam also released two minor boys after taking a bond from their family in this connection, ARM JahidHasan, executive magistrate of the district administration, told reporters.

Police filed a case accusing some 50 unidentified fishermen over the alleged attack on river police by the fishing community that left six cops injured.

At least six cops were injured in the attack by fishermen when the law enforcers were enforcing a ban on hilsa catching in the Meghna River in Chandpur at night.