A mobile court has run drives at various places in Sitakunda, Chattogram, to stop the catching and selling of hilsa. On seeing the magistrate's vehicle, fishermen fled, leaving their hilsa behind.

The drive was carried out at various places in the upazila on Saturday (4 October) afternoon, led by the upazila Commissioner (Land), Abdul Al Mamun. Because the fishermen fled, their identities could not be found.

Mobile court sources said the fishermen had caught hilsa in defiance of the ban and were waiting to sell them on the seashore and at various places in the upazila. When they saw the mobile court magistrate, they left the fish and ran away. About 245kg of hilsa they left behind was seized and later distributed to various orphanages in the upazila.

Upazila Fisheries Officer Motachhim Billah said that under government instructions, the sale, storage and supply of hilsa is banned across the country for 22 days from 4 October.

Sitakunda Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Abdullah Al Mamun said this year's drives would be stronger than last year's. "No one should be able to catch mother hilsa during the ban period. Along with the administration, aware citizens must stay alert," he said.

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