Naval police have detained 18 fishermen in Chandpur for illegally catching hilsa during the peak breeding season, defying a government-imposed fishing ban.
According to the Chandpur Naval Police media cell, the arrests were made in a 24-hour special drive that continued until early Wednesday.
During the operation, law enforcers seized 4.41 million metres of fishing nets, 323 kilograms of hilsa, and 9 fishing boats from various points of the Padma and Meghna rivers.
The drive was led by Syed Moshfiqur Rahman, superintendent of Chandpur Naval Police, accompanied by District Fisheries Officer Shribas Chandra Chand, Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Mirza Omar Faruk, and Chandpur River Police Station Officer-in-Charge AKMS Iqbal.
Superintendent Rahman said the police have intensified river patrols and are maintaining a zero-tolerance stance against illegal fishing. He added the 22-day special operation to protect mother hilsa will continue until 25 October and strict legal action will be taken against anyone who violates the ban.
