Bangladesh authorities crack down on illegal Hilsa fishing in Meghna and Tetulia rivers

Authorities in Bangladesh have intensified enforcement of a fishing ban on the Meghna and Tetulia rivers to protect breeding Hilsa fish. In Bhola, joint operations by the district administration, fisheries department, naval police, and Coast Guard have resulted in several fishermen receiving prison sentences and fines from mobile courts.

In Bhola, eight fishermen were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment for violating the 22-day ban, which runs from October 8 to October 29. Officials seized hundreds of thousands of meters of illegal current nets and a significant quantity of Hilsa. In one specific operation in Bhola Sadar, five hundred thousand meters of nets were confiscated.

Similarly, in Chandpur, naval police and fisheries officials conducted a joint raid in the Matlab North area of the Meghna River. Ten fishermen were detained for using illegal nets, resulting in seven individuals receiving 20-day prison sentences. Authorities seized forty kilograms of Hilsa and two fishing boats. In both regions, confiscated nets were destroyed by fire, and the seized fish were distributed to local orphanages and madrasas.