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Dhaka: The Bangladesh Air Force conducted special helicopter surveillance missions over major rivers and coastal areas to support the conservation of mother hilsa during the fish’s breeding season.
The aerial surveillance was carried out from October 8 to 29 under the ‘Mother Hilsa Conservation Campaign-2026’, initiated by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate disclosed the information in a statement on Monday.
According to the statement, Bangladesh Air Force helicopters conducted surveillance over important rivers and coastal areas to assist efforts to protect mother hilsa during the breeding season.
The missions covered rivers in Munshiganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Barishal and Bhola districts from Dhaka; rivers in Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts from Jashore; and rivers in the Kutubdia area from Chattogram.
During surveillance over rivers in Madaripur and Shariatpur, aircrew spotted fishing boats in the waterways. They used high-powered searchlights, known as Night Sun, mounted on the helicopters to alert the fishermen.
The Air Force said the powerful searchlights enhanced visibility in darkness, enabling crews to monitor fishing boats on rivers even after sunset.
Aircrew members also used night vision goggles (NVGs) during the missions, which helped them conduct surveillance in low-light conditions and identify prohibited fishing activities.
The helicopters also maintained communication with law enforcement personnel deployed on the ground and officials of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock to ensure coordination during the operations.
Besides the scheduled surveillance missions, the Air Force said special monitoring was also being conducted through low-altitude flights over coastal areas as part of training missions operated from different airbases across the country.
The activities are being carried out under the ‘In Aid to Civil Power’ framework.
The Air Force said such operations were contributing to the conservation of the country’s natural resources and national development, adding that similar initiatives to protect the environment and natural resources would continue in the future.