A section of fishermen in the district are netting Ilish fry in the Arial Khan River defying the ban imposed by the government.
According to local sources, the fishermen catch the fish fry at night and sell it at local markets in the morning in the name of Chapila fish.
When visited, it was found that the fishermen are busy in netting the fish fry at several points of the river with current nets and local traps.
According to Fisheries Department officials, every year the government imposes ban on catching Ilish for seven months from November 1 to May 31 to ensure its uninterrupted breeding and growth.
But defying the ban, a section of fishermen are catching the fish randomly at different points of Kawrakandi, Majirhat, Charjanajat, Kathalbari, Sannasirchar and Bondarkhola areas of the Padma River and Kalikapur, Charnachna, Molhesherchar, Kazirtek, Biddabagis, Kunderchar, Suresshar, Samitirhat and Miarhat areas of the Arial Khan River.
Trader Moazzem Matubbar of Chachar village said: “When I find the scene of netting the fry, I become dishearten.”
“I think, the people who are catching the fry should be punished,” he said.
Fisherman Ashim Malo of Sadar upazila said: “We have to catch fish as there is no option left for maintaining our families.”
Gokul Malo of Bahadurpur village: “I am a landless man. I am not getting food under the government’s VGF (vulnerable group feeding) programme. Now I have no alternative but to catch fish as I have to run a seven-member family.”
Bashir-Al-Helal, convenor of Environment Protection Movement and Development Parshad, said the local administration should announce the exemplary punishment for those who were involved with catching the fish.
District Fisheries Officer (DFO) Aktarul Haque said they were conducting operation against the fry catching in the district to discourage fishermen from doing the misdeed.
“From December to March, we conducted 112 drives in different areas of the district and seized eight tonnes of fry worth about Tk14.25 lakh,” said Aktarul.
