18 fishermen jailed for catching hilsa defying government ban
Agencies
Eighteen fishermen were jailed in three districts on Wednesday on charge of hilsa fishing defying a 22-day ban imposed by the government from October 12, report agencies. In Munshiganj: A mobile court sentenced seven fishermen to one months imprisonment each for catching hilsa defying government ban. A team led by executive magistrate Khalekuzzaman conducted a drive in the Padma River in Louhajong upazila and arrested seven fishermen in the morning. The team also seized 10,000 metre current nets and 15 kg hilsa fish. Later, the detained fishermen were produced before the mobile court of executive magistrate Khalekuzzaman which sentenced each of them to one months imprisonment. In Jhalakathi, a mobile court sentenced two fishermen to one years imprisonment each for catching hilsa. Upazila fisheries department conducted a drive in the morning in the Sugandha and Bishkhali Rivers and arrested the fishermen. During the drive, the fisheries department seized 6,000 meters current nets and one maund (40-kg) of hilsa. The detained fishermen were produced before the mobile court, led by Executive Magistrate Shah Mohammad Kamrul Huda who handed down the verdict. In Faridpur, a mobile court here jailed 9 fishermen to 15 days each for catching hilsa fish in Araial Khan and Padma Rivers. The mobile court, led by executive magistrate Sarwar Hossain, conducted two separate drives in the rivers and caught 9 fishermen with 15 kilograms of hilsa and 8,000 meter of current nets. Later, the seized hilsa fishes were distributed among the orphanages. The current nets were also destroyed in presence of concerned officials.
