The government slapped a ban on catching, selling, hoarding, and transporting Hilsa – from October 14 to November 4 – during its peak breeding season.
To protect mother Hilsa, 2,640 mobile courts and 19,818 campaigns were carried out across the country, according to the fisheries department.
During the operations, 2,685 illegal nets including current nets worth Tk243.36 crore were seized.
Also, 5,533 fishermen were sentenced to different jail terms and fined Tk90.84 lakh. And 6,904 cases were filed for illegally catching Hilsa during the ban.
Plus, 45.41 metric tonnes of illegally harvested Hilsa were seized, too, and the government earned Tk20 lakh from the auction of boats and nets, reads a press release.
The fisheries and livestock ministry officials could implement the programs in 152 upazilas with the support of deputy commissioners, upazila nirbahi officers, district and upazila executive magistrates, River Police, Coast Guard, Police, Air Force, Navy, and Border Guard Bangladesh.
Also, several monitoring teams – made-up of the ministry and the fisheries department officials – worked in the field regularly.
And the Bangladesh Air Force conducted an exceptional operation by helicopter to protect mother Hilsa.
Also read: Hilsa ban: 5 injured in attack during drive in Bhola