<i>Jatka</i> hunting unabated despite raids
Law enforcers bury 80 maunds of jatka (young hilsa), seized by coastguard from a launch in Dhaleshwari River at Char Muktarpur in Munshiganj Sadar upazila, yesterday. Defying an official ban to protect the stock of the popular fish, a section of unscrupulous fishermen have continued random netting of jatka, despite frequent drives by law enforcers during the last few days. Photo: STAR
Illegal hunting of hilsa fry continued unabated as coastguard seized more 80 msunds of the fish on Dhaleswari River in Sadar upazila of the district yesterday morning. Coastguard officer Shahidul Islam said, a team led by himself raided the Dhaka-bound MV Bandhan and seized a huge quantity of the fish, locally known as jatka at about 6:30am. None was arrested in this connection. Later, the jatka seized in 10 big baskets and three drums, was dumped under the earth in nearby Char Muktarpur in presence of upazila acting fisheries officer Rasheduzzaman. The government banned catching of jatka across the country from February 1 to May 31 to boost hilsa production. On Tuesday, 16 mounds of jatka were seized by coastguard in the same river. The fish fry recovered from MV Bhola was also dumped under the earth at the same char. Law enforcers seized at least 405 mounds of jatka and two lakh 54 thousand metres current nets during raid from February 4 to March 6, sources said.
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