Sundarbans: Forest officials have detained five fishermen, including a former union parishad member, for illegal fishing in a sanctuary area of the Sundarbans. The arrest was made during a routine patrol by the forest department in the Hangsoraj River.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Officer-in-Charge Md. Samanur Kadir of the Bhomorkhali Forest Patrol Outpost reported that a patrol team from Nalian Forest Station discovered a fishing trawler in the river on Saturday afternoon. As the team approached, they found the fishermen preparing to catch fish inside the sanctuary area and detained them immediately.
The individuals detained were identified as Abu Musa, 50, a former Ward No. 7 member of Koyra Sadar Union; Jahangir Alam, 45; Jaber Ali, 50; Yasin Ali, 42; and Abdur Rouf, 40. Following their arrest, information provided by the fishermen led forest officials to conduct another operation in Chhoto Kukumari Canal, where five boats and 450 feet of charpata fishing nets were seized.
Divisional Forest Officer A.Z.M. Hasanur Rahman of the Sundarbans West Division stated that a case has been filed against the arrested individuals under the Forest Act.