Seven fishermen were jailed for different terms in Bhola and Munshiganj while 58 others fined in Bagerhat and Barguna on Friday for catching hilsa defying a ban.
An 11-day ban imposed by the government on catching, transportation and marketing of hilsa across the country began on October 13, aiming to boost hilsa production through ensuring safe spawning and protecting mother hilsa.
In Bhola, a mobile court sentenced six fishermen to one year’s imprisonment for catching hilsa in Charfasson upazila at noon.
The mobile court conducted separate drives in the Meghna and the Tetulia rivers from the morning and held the fishermen.
Two trawlers were also seized from their possession.
In Barguna, 45 fishermen were fined different amounts each ranging from Tk 1,000 to Tk 5,000 on Friday for catching hilsa in the Bay of Bengal.
Coast guard members in their overnight drive arrested the fishermen from Pakkhidia area in the Bay during their drive from 8:00pm on Thursday to 8:00am on Friday.
During the drive, eight maunds of hilsa, over 2 lakh metres of nets and four trawlers were also seized.
The arrested fishermen were produced before a mobile court around 11:00am on Friday which slapped fine on them.
In Munshiganj, Bangladesh Coast Guard members seized 1.80 lakh metres of current nets at different points of the Meghna River in the sadar and Gazaria upazilas, and held a fisherman along with 18 mother hilsas.
Later, a mobile court sentenced the fisherman, Shawkat Sheikh, 35, to 15 days’ imprisonment.
In Bagerhat, a joint team of Bangladesh Coast Guard and Fisheries Department held 13 fishermen while they were catching hilsa at Bagi and Maherchar in the Baleswar River in Sharankhola upazila in the early hours.
-With New Age input
