Bangladesh Forest Department officials detained four fishers for allegedly catching fish illegally during an entry ban in the Sundarbans. A special team conducted the operation at the Lebubunia canal area of the Kolagachhia River in the West Satkhira Range at about 11:30pm on Monday. The detainees are Mostafa Gazi, Mahfuzur Rahman, Al-Amin Gazi and Iyaruzzaman Gharami, all from Gabura village in Shyamnagar upazila.

Officials seized a dinghy boat, about 30 kilograms of shrimp and 137 kilograms of white fish. They also confiscated a khalpata net, a bendi net, five water drums, a wheel, two oars, three machetes and a cut drum. Burigoalini Station Officer Erfan Uddin said the Forest Department team found the four men fishing illegally while the ban on entering the Sundarbans was in force.

The four detainees were handed over to the Satkhira Forest Court on Tuesday afternoon. Following a hearing, the court ordered them sent to Satkhira District Jail at 5:47pm. Erfan Uddin said Forest Department operations against entry into forest areas and fishing in violation of restrictions would continue to protect the Sundarbans' biodiversity and fish resources.