Four jailed, fined for illegal fishing at Kamalnagar

KAMALNAGAR, LAXMIPUR, Oct 17: Two fishermen were sentenced to 13 days in jail each and two others fined Tk 1,000 each on Friday for catching and transporting mother hilsa during a fishing ban on the Meghna River in Kamalnagar Upazila of the district.

A mobile court handed down the sentences after a joint operation by the Department of Fisheries and Bangladesh Coast Guard seized the four men near Patarirhat fish landing station with about 80 kg of hilsa.

Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Turjya Saha said the government banned all fishing, as well as the sale, transport, storage and marketing of hilsa, from October 8 to October 29 to protect the fish during its peak breeding season.

Executive Magistrate Muhammad Arafat Hossain said the penalties were imposed under fisheries conservation law. The two jailed fishermen were sent to prison, while the other two paid their fines and were released.