Thirty-two fishermen have been detained for catching jatka (young hilsa) in the sanctuary area of the Padma and Meghna rivers in Chandpur. Regular cases have been filed against 26 of them at the river police station. The remaining six were released on bonds: two because they were ill and four because they were minors.

Mirza Omar Faruk, senior upazila fisheries officer for Sadar upazila, confirmed the information at midday on Thursday, 2 April.

The Sadar Upazila Fisheries Office said the task force carried out the operation in the coastal area of the Meghna from Akhaner Hat to Bahariya in Sadar upazila, from 5pm on Wednesday, 1 April, to 2am on Thursday, 2 April.

Thirty-two fishermen were caught red-handed catching jatka. Two fishing boats, 5,000 metres of current net and about 20 kg of jatka were seized.

Mirza Omar Faruk said 10 separate regular cases had been filed under the fisheries act at the river police station against the detained fishermen. The seized current nets and boats are in police custody, and the jatka was distributed among the poor.

The report names the following as accused in the cases: Abdur Rahman Khan (28), Babul Majhi (22), Md Zakir Hossain (27), Monu Mia Gazi (28), Md Amon (18), Jillu Majhi (30), Awlad Bonduksi (28), Farid Bonduksi (30), Ibrahim Khan (30), Habib Khan (40), Zahidul Islam (27), Md Mosharraf Majhi (24), Md Yusuf Majhi (23), Harun Khan (50), Shahjahan Sheikh (45), Rustam Hawlader (32), Abdul Kadir Dhali (60), Basu Dhali (30), Dulal Didar (55), Shakil Hawlader (19), Shipon Sikder (29), Tanvir Hawlader (18), Manik Jamaddar (27), Akash Khan (24), Iman Gazi (30), Rubel Chhoyal (20), Md Chhattar Gazi (32) and Sagar Hawlader (19). That list gives 28 names, although the report says 26 were sued. All are from different areas of Chandpur Sadar upazila.

Sadar Upazila Assistant Fisheries Officer Md Mizanur Rahman and officers and members of Chandpur river police station took part in the operation.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.