Kalai (Joypurhat) Correspondent:

The Kalai Upazila administration has seized and burned a large number of nets in a drive against illegal fishing with banned Chinese nets in Kalai, Joypurhat. During this, a mobile court was conducted and a person was fined Tk 3,000. Kalai Upazila Executive Officer Shamima Akhter Jahan conducted the mobile court.

These Chinese nets and current nets were recovered from the canal next to Karimpur intersection and on both sides of Panchgram and Jalaigari roads in the upazila from the afternoon to 7 pm on Wednesday (August 13). Later, the seized nets were brought to the Kalai Upazila Parishad premises and burned. Earlier, banned Chinese nets were seized and destroyed in the Upazila Parishad premises in the past days.

In addition, a person named Siddique was fined Tk 3,000 in Molamgari Bazar as per the Fish Protection and Conservation Act 1950 4/A.

Kalai Upazila Fisheries Officer Touhida Mohtamim, Upazila Administrative Officer Asaduzzaman Chowdhury, ICT Technician SM Tarekul Islam, Office Assistant Sohel Rana and many others were present at the time.

Kalai Upazila Executive Officer Shamima Akhter Jahan said, "Our campaign against fishermen using illegal nets will continue to protect native fish species and in the public interest."

She also said that on the 7th, the China and current nets found on both sides of the road from Hatiyar to Bairagirhat, and on the 11th, the illegal nets found in the Kanmuna Harabati canal of Matrai Union, as well as the illegal China nets found in shops at Punat Hat, were destroyed in the public interest.