A mobile court in Madaripur yesterday sentenced 37 fishermen to one-year imprisonments each for catching hilsa fish during the 22-day ban.

Another person, who is not an adult, was fined Tk 2,000 for the same offence.

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The mobile court led by executive magistrate and assistant commissioner (land) of Shibchar upazila delivered the verdict after conducting drives at different spots in the upazila early yesterday morning.

The drives began around 3:00am and continued for over five hours, said Md Miraj Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Shibchar Police Station.

The government has imposed a 22-day ban from October 4 on catching, selling, hoarding, and transporting of hilsa to allow hilsa breeding.

But some fishermen started fishing at night to avert law enforcers, said the OC.

That is why the mobile court was formed in coordination of district administration and police.

The mobile court also seized around seized around 20,000 metres of banned current net. The nets were later burnt out, the OC added.



Catching Hilsa During Ban: Mobile court sentences 37 to one year each
Source: Trend Viral Philippines