A fisherman was killed and four others were injured in a shooting during a reported clash between fishermen and law enforcers in the Meghna River near Hizla upazila of Barishal early Thursday.
The deceased, Akhtar Hossain Hawladar, 40, was the son of Sultan Hawladar of Char Memania village in Ward 8 of Memania Union under Hizla upazila.
His body was kept at Hizla Upazila Health Complex until Thursday noon. The four injured fishermen are reportedly receiving treatment at different locations without drawing public attention.
According to local residents, the incident took place late Wednesday night near Shaora Arakul fish landing station in Gourangdi Union, on the final night of the 21-day ban on catching hilsa.
Several residents expressed anger, alleging that monitoring during most of the ban period had been lax and that the shooting occurred as authorities sought to demonstrate stricter oversight on the final day.
According to sources, Akhtar and his companions went fishing in the Meghna on Wednesday night. A clash broke out between fishermen and a River Police team near the Shaora Arakul fish landing station.
An unnamed senior administration official said law enforcement personnel were conducting an operation to protect hilsa in the Meghna near Raipur in Lakshmipur when the confrontation occurred.
The official said the enforcement team opened fire in self-defence, and a bullet struck Akhtar in the chest. Four other fishermen were also shot.
Akhtar was taken to Hizla Upazila Health Complex and later being transferred to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal for advanced treatment when he died, the official added.
The injured fishermen reportedly went into hiding after the incident.
However, the accounts of the enforcement agencies and local authorities differed over whether their personnel had conducted an operation in the area that night.
Sister alleges Coast Guard, River Police opened fire
Citing accounts from injured fishermen who witnessed the incident, Akhtar’s sister, Sathi Akter, told local media that her brother and others had gone fishing on Wednesday night.
She alleged that personnel from the Coast Guard and Chandpur River Police opened fire suddenly near Shaora Arakul fish landing station early Thursday, seriously injuring her brother.
Akhtar was first taken to Hizla Upazila Health Complex and later transferred towards Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal, but he died on the way, she said.
Sathi Akter said the family had no complaint and wanted to bury Akhtar without an autopsy.
Coast Guard, River Police deny conducting operations
An official responsible for media affairs at the Coast Guard’s South Zone, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the force was not conducting any operation in the Meghna at the time of the incident.
A responsible official of the River Police in the Barishal region also told the media that the unit had not conducted any operation there.
Hizla Upazila Fisheries Officer KM Mahfuzur Rahman said he learned of the fisherman’s death on Thursday morning. He said no team from his office had gone to the Meghna River on Wednesday night.
He added that the office’s speedboat had been out of order for two days, forcing the team to conduct limited operations using a small trawler. An enforcement team from another district might have operated in the area, he said.
Chairman says he rescued injured fisherman
Memania Union Parishad Chairman Afsar Uddin said several fishermen informed him early Thursday that a man had been found lying injured by gunfire in the Meghna River area.
He went to the spot and rescued the fisherman before informing police, who took him to the upazila health complex, the chairman said. He added that the identity of those responsible for the shooting remained unknown.
Hizla Police Station Officer-in-Charge Solaiman Hossain said the incident was under investigation. Preparations were underway to send the body for an autopsy, and further legal action would be taken based on the investigation, he added.
