United News of Bangladesh

The Forest Department has detained 22 fishermen for illegally entering the Mandarbaria area of the western Sundarbans. The detainees are residents of different areas of Patuakhali and Bagerhat districts. Satkhira Range Assistant Conservator of Forests Mashiur Rahman said the fishermen entered the reserved forest area without permission and were fishing illegally on Friday. During the drive, officials seized two trawlers and various fishing equipment. They also recovered 410 kilograms of Shapla Pata fish, a species banned for catching as it is considered endangered. A case was filed against them under the Forest Act on Saturday morning and they were sent to jail following a court order, he said. Later, the seized fish were buried on the riverbank. However, the fishermen claimed they were fishing in the Bay of Bengal and lost their way due to dense fog, drifting near the Mandarbaria area. They said they did not catch fish from the Sundarbans rivers.  

Bangladesh Coast Guard members detained 13 Indian fishermen on Thursday evening as they intruded into the Bangladesh maritime territory for fishing. A patrol vessel of Coast Guard spotted foreign trawler " Pita Matar Ashirbad" illegally fishing in Bangladesh's maritime boundary. Read:13 Indian fishermen detained from Bay Sensing their presence, the fishermen tried to flee but the coast guards detained them along with the trawler from 17 nautical miles southwest of Mongla Fairway Buoy. The seized trawler and the detainees were handed over to Mongla Police Station, said Bangladesh Coast Guard Media Officer Lt Commander Amirul Haque on  Friday. Earlier on Aug 7, Coast Guard's inshore patrol vessel "Sonar Bangla," spotted foreign trawler "Shornotara," illegally fishing in Bangladesh's maritime boundary and  detained 13 Indian fishermen . A case was filed against them and  the court of Bagerhat Chief Judicial Magistrate sent them to jail when they were produced before it.  

Forest department officials detained three fishermen from the Sundarbans in Harbaria area of Mongla upazila for catching fish illegally from a canal using insecticides on Saturday night.