Authorities in Rajbari destroyed illegal fishing nets worth over 3.5 crore taka in the past two weeks and imposed various prison terms and fines on around 130 fishermen for violating government bans on catching hilsa during the breeding season in the Padma River.

As part of the ongoing hilsa conservation drive, operations were conducted at seven locations in the district over the past 24 hours.

During these actions, approximately 115 kilograms of hilsa fish and 2.72 lakh cubic meters of current nets were seized, with an estimated market value of over 10 lakh taka.

Two mobile courts were also held during this period.

In Gopalganj Upazila, eight fishermen were each sentenced to seven days in prison by a mobile court, according to Rajbari District Fisheries Officer Md. Mahbub Ul Haque, who confirmed the operations on Saturday.

Md. Mahbub Ul Haque stated that since midnight on October 4, a ban has been in place on all types of fishing in about 65 kilometers of the Padma River in Rajbari to protect breeding hilsa.

The restriction will continue until midnight on October 25.

Between October 4 and the morning of October 18, a total of 120 operations were conducted in the district, including 39 mobile courts.

During this time, about 16.30 lakh cubic meters of current nets were seized, with an estimated market value of around 3.67 crore taka.

Around 130 fishermen were arrested, of whom 22 have regular cases filed against them.

In addition, 73,200 taka was collected in fines, and approximately 97,000 taka was earned from auctions of the seized nets.