Authorities have seized around 30,000 meters of illegal fishing nets during a special joint operation in the Padma River at North Channel area of Faridpur on Saturday afternoon, as part of efforts to enforce the ongoing 22-day nationwide ban on catching Hilsa fish.
The drive was conducted by the district administration in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries, RAB-10, Kotwali Police, and Ansar members. It was led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Israt Jahan and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Shafiqul Islam.
According to UNO Israt Jahan, fishermen fled the scene upon sensing the presence of law enforcement officials, leaving their nets behind. The confiscated nets, worth an estimated Tk 1.5 million, were later destroyed in public.
She said, “Despite the government’s strict ban on catching mother hilsa, some fishermen continue illegal fishing. We conducted the raid after receiving reports of such activity.”
Some local fishermen claimed they are forced to defy the ban due to financial hardship and because many registered fishermen have not yet received government incentives promised during the ban period.
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