The prolonged 22-day government ban on fishing in rivers and the sea is concluding tonight at midnight. Consequently, fishermen have completed all preparatory tasks, including repairing trawlers, washing vessels, and loading fishing nets, in anticipation of venturing into the deep sea.
Fishermen express high hopes of catching targeted hilsa this time. However, genuine fishermen claimed they did not receive government relief rice during the ban. They also reported instances of foreign fishermen aggressing into territorial waters during the period.
To enforce the ban successfully, the fisheries department conducted 484 drives and 125 mobile courts in rivers and seas across the district, resulting in prison sentences for 148 fishermen, 167 cases filed, fines totaling 311,000 taka, and the seizure of approximately 2 million meters of illegal nets. Fisheries officials stated that casting nets in the deep sea will yield abundant silver hilsa. The government had imposed the fishing ban in rivers and the sea from October 8 to October 29 to ensure unimpeded hilsa breeding, during which fishermen spent idle days.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Nayan (Gain) Kapatapa, Patuakhali Correspondent • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
