Authorities in Chandpur have detained 61 fishermen for defying a government-imposed ban on catching hilsa during the peak breeding season in the Padma and Meghna river sanctuary zones.

The arrests were made between October 4 and the evening of October 14 during separate drives by district and upazila-level task forces, the District Fisheries Office confirmed on Wednesday (October 15).

Assistant Fisheries Officer Farhana Akhter Ruma said a total of 213 operations and 32 mobile court drives were conducted over a 70-kilometre stretch of the sanctuary area during the 14-day period. Officials also inspected 15 landing stations, 137 fishing spots, 732 fish depots, and 403 markets.

Authorities seized 495 kilograms of hilsa and 242,000 meters of illegal fishing nets, with an estimated market value of Tk 5.92 million.

A total of 42 cases were filed against the detained fishermen, and Tk 34,000 was collected in fines.

“We remain firm in our efforts to protect the national fish,” said Mirza Omar Faruq, Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer of Chandpur Sadar. “Strict enforcement will continue throughout the ban period.”

SMS/