Members of the Forest Department arrested 10 fishermen along with their instruments for catching crabs in the dense forests of Sundarban Satkhira range during the breeding season. The fishermen were arrested from the Notabeki sanctuary of Sundarbans around 6 am on Tuesday.
The arrested fishermen were later released after collecting a fine of Tk 2 lakh under the Forest Act.
The arrested fishermen are Abu Said, Ajikul Islam, Mohsin Molya, Abul Kalam, Arafat Hossain, Rikab Ali, Mozaffar Moral, Abu Hanif and Billal Hossain of Chunkuri village of Shyamnagar upazila.
According to the sources of the Forest Department, based on a tip-off that some fishermen were collecting crabs in the deep forests of the Satkhira range of Sundarbans, the members of the forest department, led by Burigoalini station officer (SO) Habibul Islam, launched an expedition to a river in the Notabeki sanctuary area of Sundarbans around 6 am. At this time, the 10 fishermen were arrested from there.
At the same time, 2 boats used by fishermen and 400 kg mother crab and other goods were seized. Later, the seized crabs are released in the river.
Sundarban Satkhira Range Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) AKM Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury confirmed the matter and said that the arrested fishermen were released after paying a fine of Tk 2 lakh under the Forest Act.