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A mobile court has sentenced 22 fishermen to 12 days in jail each for catching hilsa in the Padma-Meghna river system in Chandpur in violation of the fishing ban.
Authorities seized 25,000 metres of banned current nets, six fishing boats and five kilogrammes of hilsa during the drive, Sadar Upazila Fisheries Officer officials said.
Assistant Upazila Fisheries Officer Mizanur Rahman said the operation was conducted from 4:00pm to 10:00pm on Sunday to protect mother hilsa during the breeding season.
The drive covered several areas of the Meghna River under Chandpur Sadar upazila, including Anandabazar, Lalpur, Kachikata, Chirachar, Harisabha, Ranagoal, Dokanghar and Baharia.
A total of 24 fishermen were detained during the operation, including 18 from Chirachar and six from Dokanghar.
At midnight, executive magistrates Nahid Iqbal, Md Rahmat Ullah and Tanvir Rabbi held a mobile court at the Chandpur Coast Guard Station. The court sentenced 22 fishermen to 12 days in jail each, while the remaining two, who were minors, were released.
The convicted fishermen are from Chandpur and neighbouring Shariatpur district.
Mizanur Rahman said the seized current nets were burned and destroyed in the presence of an executive magistrate. The confiscated hilsa was distributed to an orphanage, while the six fishing boats remain in Coast Guard custody.