A mobile court in Bhola sentenced 16 fishermen to two months' imprisonment on Sunday night for defying a ban on catching all kinds of fishes.
Police and river police, led by upazila administration and fisheries department, conducted separate drives at different points in the Meghna river and held the fishermen along with 5,000 metres current net on charge of catching hilsa fish defying the ongoing ban.
A two-month ban was imposed by the government on catching all kinds of fishes in 150 kilometres area in the Meghna and Tetulia rivers, aiming to boost hilsa production through ensuring safe spawning and protecting mother hilsa, according to a UNB report.
Besides, a team of Coast Guard South Region in a drive seized different kinds of net, including current net worth of Tk 120 million, from Ramdaspur area.
Later, a mobile court of executive magistrate and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mridha Md Mozahidul Islam handed down the verdict when they were produced before it around 10:00pm.
