36 more jailed for defying ban on hilsa fishing

Mobile courts on Wednesday sentenced 31 fishermen to one year's imprisonment each for netting hilsa in the Meghna River for violation of the ongoing temporary ban.

Law enforces' in separate drives raided different areas of Sadar and Haimchar upazilas and arrested 31 fishermen, said BM Nuruzzaman, additional superintendent of Chandpur River Police.

The arrestees were later produced before the courts of executive magistrates Kamal Md Rashed and Saiful Islam Bhuiyan that punished them.

In another drive, a court, led by Haimchar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) SM Sarwar Kamal detained five more fishermen from the Meghna River and punished them to one year's imprisonment each for violating the ongoing ban.

The authorities concerned have imposed a 15-day ban from September 25 for catching, selling and transporting of hilsa to protect mother hilsa and ensure safe spawning.

Away in Bhola, coastguard members seized fishing nets from a passenger launch in the Meghna River early yesterday.