A mobile court has sentenced two fishermen to 16 days’ imprisonment each for catching ilish with electric nets in the Payra River in Dumki upazila, violating the government’s official ban.
The sentence was handed down on Friday morning at the office of the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) by Executive Magistrate Abuzar Md Ejazul Haque.
The convicts are Jamal Talukdar, 50, son of the late Chandu Talukdar of Jhatra village in Angaria union, and Md Kausar Hawladar, 30, son of the late Barek Hawladar of the same village.
As the government-imposed national ban on ilish fishing is going on, a special team from the Department of Fisheries conducted a drive on Thursday night in the Payra River near Baher Char.
During the drive, the two fishermen were found catching ilish fish using electric nets and were caught red-handed. A boat and a large quantity of electric nets used in fishing were seized.
The arrested fishermen were presented before the mobile court at the UNO’s office on Friday morning, where the sentence was handed over.
Confirming the incident, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Dumki police station Md Zakir Hossain said preparations are underway to send the convicts to Patuakhali district jail.
