8 held for illegal crab catching in Sundarbans

Eight fishermen have been arrested by forest guards for catching crabs during the ongoing fishing ban in the Kokilmoni forest area of the East Sundarbans.

A large quantity of crabs and banned crab-catching baits, along with a dinghy boat, were seized during the operation. The arrested fishermen were produced before a Bagerhat court on Tuesday evening.

Md Shariful Islam, Assistant Conservator of Forests and Range Officer of the Sharankhola Range of the Sundarbans East Forest Division, has said a case had been filed against the accused for entering the sanctuary and catching crabs during the ongoing fishing ban in the protected Sundarbans.

The eight accused were produced before the Bagerhat court on Tuesday (August 18) evening.
According to Md Shariful Islam, forest guards from the Kokilmoni Forest Patrol Outpost under the Sharankhola Range of the East Sundarbans Forest Division conducted a drive in the Tin Kona Island area of the Kokilmoni Sanctuary and arrested the eight fishermen.

The forest guards searched their boat and seized 300 banned crab-catching baits and around 60kg of crabs.

The arrested fishermen were identified as Md Mohidul Sheikh, 36, son of deceased Majid Sheikh; Md Abu Sufian Sheikh, 29, son of Abu Zafar Sheikh; Md Hossain Howlader, 25, son of Md Mannan Howlader; Md Shukur Ali, 35, son of Md Idris Ali; Md Rubel Sheikh, 28, son of Tariqul Sheikh; Md Jolar Sheikh, 26, son of Md Afzal Sheikh; Md Hossain Sheikh, 22, son of Mohammad Ali; and Md Imran Sheikh, 35, son of Jahangir Sheikh.

According to forest officials, all of them are residents of Bakultala village in Mongla upazila.