A group of fishermen yesterday attacked a mobile court in the Bohoria area under Sadar upazila of Chandpur district after it obstructed them from catching fish.
In response to the attack, a team of police and the Rapid Action Battalion, accompanying the court, fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control. However, no arrests were made.
Witnesses said a team of police and Rab led by an executive magistrate conducted a drive on the Meghna River to monitor whether the fishermen were violating the ongoing ban on catching all kind of fishes in the district.
After reaching Bohoria, the court found some fishermen, who were violating the ban and tried to stop them. However, the group of fishermen swooped on the law enforcers with makeshift weapons.
Executive Magistrate Tushar Ahmed said: “Some fishermen were illegally catching fishes ignoring the ban. The attack took place when we tried to deter them.”
Authorities have imposed a ban on catching of all kind of fishes from October 13 to October 23 to ensure safe spawning and protect the mother fishes.
The ban has been imposed on netting fishes from Shatnol in Matlab area of the district to Char Bhoirobi of Haimchar upazila.
Fisheries department officials, however, said family members of upazila parishad chairman and other local leaders have been illegally catching and selling fishes.
On the other hand, Chairman of Laxmipur Union Parishad, Selim Khan have been allegedly directing the fishermen to catch Hilsa and sell the mother fishes. Local administration have remained silent over the matter due to their political influences, locals claimed.
These fishes are being sold at different places in Akhon ghat, Laxmipur, Horina ferry ghat, Anandabazar, Dashadi and sluice-gate.
Four pieces of Hilsa were selling at Tk700-900 as some buyers wait on the river banks till late night to get Hilsa at a cheaper rate.
It has also been alleged that, some members of law enforcement forces have been illegally grabbing fishes in the name of protecting mother fishes.
Meanwhile, a fisheries department official in Haimchar upazila said: “We divided the fishes seized from fishermen during drives among poor people and fisheries officers.”
Chandpur District Fisheries Officer Ratan Dutta said: “Some local makeshift markets have been established on the riverbanks. We are trying to protect Hilsa fish. We have already deployed magistrates and Rab in Lazmipur, Anadabazar and Hanarchar.”
“However, sometimes our efforts go in vain due to lack of manpower to monitor the large river,” he said.
