Our Correspondent, Chandpur :
During the Government’s 22 day- ban period (from 14 October till 4 November) to preserve mother Hilsas during their breeding time , Dist and Upazila Taskforce teams did their jobs.
During the drives, that will end today morning three fishermen were detained from Meghna river red handed while they were engaged in netting fish, defying govt ban.
Of them, Two fishermen were jailed by Mobile Court on Tuesday morning. One fisherman was fined Tk 2000/00.
167 kilograms of Hilsa were seized and about 15.5 lakh metres of illegal current nets were seized.
Contacted, District Fisheries officer AsadulBaqui has confirmed the report adding that so far 59 Mobile Courts were conducted and a quantum of 4.942 metric tonns of mother Hilsa fish and 682 lakh metres of illegal current nets were seized in the river belt. The seized Hilshas were distributed among the destitute and orphanages. The seized nets were burnt to ashes.
A total of 164 fishermen hailing from different river bank areas were detained and sent to jail with different terms of punishment under Fish Preservation Act.
A total of 50 cases were filed.
An amount of Tk- 681.84 lakh was realised as fine. Besides , River Police teams from Headquarters, Coastguard members, and Dist administration, UZ admininstrations have extended full co-operation to make the ban period a grand success.
Renowned Hilsa fish expert and researcher of Chandpur `s Fisheries Research Institute DrMdAnisurRahman has told this correspondent that a mother Hilsa fish possesses eggs ranging from 10 lakh to 15 lakh eggs and that’s why, we must preserve mother Hilsas s at all costs.
