The upazila administration in Gosairhat, Shariatpur, seized two maunds of hilsa as the fish, caught in breach of the ban, were being sold. A trawler used in the sale was also seized.

The drive was carried out on Monday morning (13 October) at Charjalalpur, Tekpar and Goriber Char on the Meghna in the upazila.

According to the Gosairhat upazila administration and the fisheries department, the government has imposed a complete 22-day ban on catching hilsa in rivers during the mother hilsa's breeding season to increase fish production. It began on 3 October and runs until 25 October. Some unscrupulous fishermen had been catching fish at various points on the Meghna in defiance of the ban and selling them. The upazila administration and fisheries department went out at dawn on Monday to stop them, and seized a trawler along with 80 kg of hilsa at Charjalalpur, Tekpar and Goriber Char.

The fishermen fled when they sensed the officials coming. Gosairhat Assistant Commissioner (Land) Sania Binte Afzal, Additional Superintendent of Police (Gosairhat Circle) Tanvir Hossain and others were present during the drive.

Gosairhat senior upazila fisheries officer Abul Kashem Nirob said the 80 kg of fish and a trawler were seized in a drive against fish from the Meghna being sold at various places in breach of the ban. The fish will be distributed to orphanages.

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