Akkelpur (Joypurhat) Correspondent:

The local fisheries department has seized and set on fire illegal fishing nets from a canal in the Bhalki Bridge area of Akkelpur upazila of Joypurhat. The net was set on fire on the Bhalki Bridge on the Akkelpur road in Joypurhat at around 7 pm on Monday (August 11).

The fisheries department and locals said that water flows through a canal in the Bhalki Bridge area to the crop fields of several villages. However, due to some unscrupulous fishermen catching fish by throwing illegal nets, all the small fish are getting trapped in the nets. At the same time, the water flow has decreased due to the age of the nets, and the paddy in the field is being destroyed.

On this news, the Akkelpur Upazila Fisheries Officer reached the spot with the help of the police and seized about 5,000 meters of illegal nets worth two lakh taka and set them on fire. The owner of the net was absent at the time.

In this regard, Akkelpur Upazila Fisheries Officer Mushfiqur Rahman said, "Small fish are becoming extinct due to nets being thrown back, and water drainage is being disrupted. Today's campaign is to protect fish and maintain water flow in cropland. Our campaign will continue."