A joint operation led by the Bangladesh Navy and the Bangladesh Coast Guard has seized illegal fishing nets worth an estimated Tk312 crore along the Karnaphuli riverbanks.
The drive was conducted yesterday afternoon (19 April) in the Dangarchar area under Karnaphuli police station as part of efforts to enforce the government-declared 58-day fishing ban and prevent the harvesting of juvenile fish, according to a press release.
Officials said the operation followed intelligence reports that a group of traders had been stockpiling prohibited fishing nets at a riverside location for a long time.
Acting on the information, a joint team, in the presence of a fisheries officer, carried out a raid at a warehouse named Sea Heart, where a large quantity of banned nets was recovered.
Authorities also seized significant amounts of illegal nets from two abandoned, unclaimed trucks found at the site.
In total, around 3.25 million metres of illegal nets were confiscated during the operation, with an estimated market value of about Tk312 crore.
The seized nets were later destroyed by burning in the presence of fisheries officials.
Authorities said such operations will continue to protect the country’s fisheries resources and curb illegal activities in coastal and riverine areas.
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