A fisherman was killed and four others were injured in reported firing during a clash between fishermen and a team of River Police in the Meghna River in Hizla upazila of Barishal district early Thursday.

The deceased was identified as Akhtar Hossain Hawlader, 40, son of Sultan Hawlader of Char Memania village under Memania union of the upazila.

His body was kept at Hizla Upazila Health Complex.

Witnesses said the incident occurred near the Shawra Arakul fish landing station in Hizla Gaurabdi union, a day before the 22-day ban on catching hilsa ends on Thursday midnight.

An enforcement team was conducting an operation to protect mother hilsa in the Meghna River when a clash broke out with fishermen, said a member of a law enforcement agency, wishing anonymity.

The team opened fire in self-defence, leaving five people, including Akhtar, injured.

Akhtar was first taken to Hizla Upazila Health Complex and later died on the way to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

The injured fishermen reportedly went into hiding and were receiving treatment at undisclosed locations.

However, the circumstances surrounding the incident remained unclear, with different accounts emerging from local residents and officials.

Quoting the injured fishermen, Akhtar's sister Sathi Akter said her brother and others went fishing on Wednesday night.

She alleged that members of the Coast Guard and Chandpur river police opened fire on them without warning near the fish landing station early Thursday.

Sathi said the family have no complaints and want to bury Akhtar without an autopsy.

A media official of the Coast Guard's southern zone, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the force was not conducting any operation in the Meghna River at the time of the incident.

A responsible official of the river police in the Barishal region also said the force had no operation underway there.

Hizla Upazila Fisheries Officer KM Mahfuzur Rahman said he learned about the fisherman's death on Thursday morning. He said no fisheries department team went to the river on Wednesday night.

He added that the department's speedboat had been out of order for two days, forcing it to conduct limited operations using a small trawler.

An enforcement team from another district might have conducted the operation, Mahfuzur said.

Memania Union Parishad Chairman Afsar Uddin said several fishermen informed him of the incident early Thursday.

He went to the spot, rescued Akhtar and informed police, who later took him to the upazila health complex, he said.

The chairman said it was not yet known who opened fire.

Officer-in-Charge of Hizla Police Station Solaiman Hossain said police were investigating the incident.