Six Detained for Illegally Netting Fish in Sundarbans

Six people have been detained for illegally catching fish in the deep forest area of the Sundarbans under Satkhira range of Sunderbans west division, forest officials said on Wednesday, reports UNB.

The detainees are Mafizul Sardar, 45, son of Mozam Sardar, Salam Gazi, 45, son of Sanaullah Gazi, Rokonuzzaman, 42, son of Rezaul Gazi, Rusul Amin, 36, son of Ali Box, Billal Gazi, son of Shaheed Gazi, and Mohibulllah Gazi, 28, son of Mostafa Gazi of Koyra upazila.

Acting on a tip-off, a forest department team, led by Kobatak forest station officer Nasiruddin, conducted a drive in the deep forests of the Sundarbans on Tuesday morning and caught the six red-handed.

‘The six were netting fish in the morning by spraying poison in the deep waters of the Sundarbans,’ said MA Hasan, assistant forest conservator of the Sundarbans Satkhira range.

Fishermen who indulge in unauthorised fishing in the deep waters of the Sundarbans often spray poison to net fish quickly.

The forest officials also seized 50kg of fish, 10 bottles of poison, and nets worth Tk one lakh from the possession of the detainees.

‘The detainees were later handed over to police,’ Hasan said.