18 fishermen nabbed for defying Hilsa ban

DAULATKHAN, BHOLA, Mar 20: A mobile court here arrested 18 fishermen from the Meghna River in Daulatkhan Upazila of the district for violating the ongoing two-month ban on all kinds of fishing including catching of jatka (hilsa fry) imposed by the government.

The mobile court led by Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Munni Islam also seized their fishing boat and nets after conducting a drive at a sanctuary of the river in Madanpur area on Monday night.
Among the arrested, 15 were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment, two were fined Tk 2,000 each, and one fisherman was fined Tk 500. The government has imposed a two-month ban starting from March 1 on all kinds of fishing in two sanctuaries covering an area of 190 km of Meghna and Tentulia rivers.