Naval police arrested 16 fishermen and seizes banned nets and hilsa fry . Photo : BSS

CHANDPUR, March 13, 2025 (BSS) - Naval police have arrested 16 fishermen and seized current nets along with jatka (hilsa fry) during separate drives in the Padma and Meghna rivers in the last 24 hours.

During the drives, a total of 8,15,700 meters of banned current nets, six engine-run boats and 130 kg jatka were seized, said KMS Iqbal, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chandpur Naval Police Station, this afternoon.

The fishermen were apprehended for illegal fishing in Chandpur estuary, Lagimara-Char-Rajrajeshwar, Amirabad Lal Boya and Bahria areas of the rivers.

Six cases were filed against 12 fishermen with Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station.

However, the remaining 4 were released on bail under the custody of their guardians as they were minors.

Meanwhile, the seized current nets were destroyed by burning, while the jatka were distributed to the poor and orphanages.

KMS Iqbal said that the special drive will further strengthen to protect the Hilsa fish.

The government imposed a ban on catching, selling, storing, and transporting hilsa from March 1 to April 30 for boosting the production and protecting hilsa fry.