80,000 metres of illegal nets seized in Rajbari mother-hilsa drive, six fishers jailed for 30 days each

Rajbari: On the 18th day of the mother-hilsa conservation drive in Rajbari Sadar upazila, a mobile court sentenced six fishers to 30 days in jail each. The drive was carried out on Sunday (October 25).

In the same drive, each fisher was fined 500 taka, a total of 3,000 taka. The drive seized 80,000 metres of illegal nets and two kilograms of hilsa fish.

Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Payra Chowdhury conducted the drive and handed down the sentences.

According to the district Department of Fisheries, five drives and one mobile court were conducted in Rajbari district that day. Six cases were filed in those drives and six fishers were jailed.

District fisheries sources said that from October 8 to October 25, a total of 73 drives and 16 mobile courts were conducted in Rajbari district to protect mother hilsa. Those drives seized 1,476,000 metres of illegal nets.

In the same period, 256 kilograms of seized hilsa were distributed among orphanages and destitute people. A total of 70 cases were filed and 38 fishers were jailed for different terms. A total of 183,000 taka in fines was collected from them. In addition, 110,000 taka was earned from auctions and regular cases were filed against 26 people.

District Fisheries Officer Md Mahbub Ul Haque said the district and upazila administrations, district police, river police, Battalion Ansar and the Department of Fisheries are jointly conducting these drives and mobile courts.

He also said the drive will continue until October 29 to protect mother hilsa and keep hilsa breeding undisturbed.