80 maunds of jatka seized
The fishes were distributed among orphans in Patuakhali
A coast guard team seized around 80 maunds of jatka (young hilsa less than nine inches long) from the Ramnabad river near Payra sea port in Kalapara upazila under the district yesterday.
The team led by Payra port contingent Commander Khondokar Moniruzzaman searched a single-decker launch named 'Nobonita' that was coming to Kalapara upazila headquarters from Mowdubi in Rangabali upazila, and seized the fish around 10:00am, said the official.
“But we could not arrest any of the perpetrators as nobody claimed ownership of the illegally netted fish during the drive,” he said.
Later at about 1:00pm, the seized jakta was distributed among residents of 17 local orphanages and over 300 poor people in presence of the assistant commissioner (Land) of Kalapara upazila, also an executive magistrate.
A section of people are engaged in illegally catching jatka and sending it to different places including Dhaka from Rangabali area, coast guard officials said.