Illegal Hilsa Catching: 37 fishermen jailed for 15 days

A mobile court yesterday arrested 55 fishermen and convicted 37 of them for illegally catching hilsa from the Padma river in Munshiganj.

The court led by Executive Magistrate Kawser Hamid, Louhajang Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land), sentenced 37 fishermen to jail for 15 days, said Asaduzzaman Asad, senior upazila fisheries officer in Louhajang.

18 other fishermen, aged below 18, were released on bond, Kawser Hamid said.

During the drive from 2am to 10am, 120,000 metres of current net, 250kg mother hilsa and a fishing boat were seized, said the official.

The seized nets were burnt and the fish were distributed to 11 orphanages, he added.