10 injured in fishermen-coastguard clash

Ten persons, including a magistrate, have been injured when a group of fishermen clashed with the members of Bangladesh Coast Guard and police at Akhoner Hat in Chandpur Upazila amid a drive to stop catching of Hilsa fishes.

At least 24 fishermen were detained while they were fishing Hilsas in Meghan River in between Sunday night to early hours of Monday. Of them, seven have been sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a mobile court.

In a bid to protect Hilshas, government has imposed a ban on fishing within hundred kilometre areas in Chandpur’s Padma and Meghna rivers for eleven days from October 5 to 15. To enforce the ban, fisheries department, coastguards and naval police have been conducting raids in various fish markets set up along the river banks.

Commander of the Bangladesh Coast Guard’s Chandpur station Sub-lieutenant Md Hasanur Rahman said the district task force conducted a drive at Akhoner Hat on Monday morning. District administration, fisheries department, naval police and coastguards took part in the drive.

Chandpur’s Executive Magistrate Md Rajibul Islam sustained injuries when fishermen started pelting stones and brickbats at the members of the task force.

Naval police later fired rubber bullets while coastguards resorted to blank firing to bring the situation under control, Rahman said.  

Two fishermen were arrested in connection with this incident. They were subsequently sentenced to one year’s imprisonment by the mobile court. Thirty thousand metres of fishing nets and 50 kg Hilsha fishes were seized from them. 

Meanwhile, seven fishermen were arrested by another team of the task force by conducting a raid in Meghna river on Sunday night. They were also given a jail term of one year by the mobile court. 

The Executive Magistrate attached to the drive Kaji Mohmmad Mohsin Ujjal told bdnews24.com that the fishermen were sentenced for fishing Hilshas in Meghna river. 

Apart from that, similar drives were also conducted from Sunday night to Monday morning in Chandpur’s Mohona, Harina Ferryghat, Mohonpur, Baharia, Akhonghat, Lagimrar Char, Rajrajeshwar and Highmochor areas by another team of the task force.

Seventeen fishermen were arrested in the drive and 30 thousand metres of fishing net and 150kgs of Hilsha fishes were seized.

The arrested fishermen would be produced before a mobile court, Rahman said.