Forest Department officials detained 38 fishermen for illegally catching crab in the reserved area within Sarankhola range of the Sundarbans East division of early Sunday.
However, the Forest Department did not disclose the identities of the detainees.
They also seized 18 fishing trawlers and illegal nets from their possession.
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Mohammad Belayet Hossain, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Sundarbans East, said that forest officials were on regular patrol in different areas of Sundarbans on Sunday night.
Suddenly, they saw a group of fishermen enter illegally for catching fish.
Later, they chased and arrested them along with 18 trawlers, he added.
A case was filed against the detainees in this connection.