Sylhet Bureau

A mobile court has sentenced five fishermen to five months in prison for illegal fishing with bamboo traps and nets in a canal.

The convicted individuals are Pathan Mia, Abu Bakkar, Alinur Mia, Nur Ahmad, and Ujjal Mia from Patargaon village in Tahirpur, Sunamganj.

The fishermen were arrested on Saturday during a mobile court operation at Bharat Canal, which is located next to the Lobar Haor in Tahirpur, Sunamganj.

The incident occurred when Farida Akhter, Adviser to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, was returning from a visit to Jadukata border river in Tahirpur, Sunamganj. She personally observed a group of fishermen illegally catching fish with nets and bamboo traps in the middle of the Bharat Canal.

The advise instructed that the fishermen be arrested for obstructing the natural flow of water and navigation in the canal.

Following the arrests, Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Shahrukh Alam Shantanu held a mobile court, which sentenced each of the five fishermen to five months in prison. They were then sent to the district jail under police custody.

The adviser was accompanied by DG of Department of Fisheries Dr. Mohammad Abdur Rauf, Joint Secretary Dr. Abu Nayeem Muhammad Abdus Sabur, Joint Secretary of the Fisheries Branch Shahina Ferdousi, Assistant Private Secretary Mohammad Ali Akbar, Senior Information Officer Md. Mamun Hasan, Sunamganj District Administrator Dr. Mohammad Ilias Mia, District Fisheries Officer Md. Shamsul Karim, Tahirpur UNO Mehdi Hasan Manik, Upazila Fisheries Officer Mahmudur Rahman, and members of the police and other officials.