Laxmipur, Mar 19 (UNB) – A mobile court here on Monday night sentenced four fishermen to one year jail each and fined 14 other fishermen for catching fish in the Meghna river violating the ongoing ban.

A joint team of coast guard, Department of Fisheries and River Police conducted drives in the river from 12pm to 10:30pm and arrested the fishermen along with six engine-run boats and 30,000 metres current net.

Later, they were produced before the mobile court led by assistant commissioner (land) and acting upazila nirbahi officer Fahmida Mostafa which sentenced four fishermen to one-month jail and fined 14 fishermen Tk 3,042 each, said the acting UNO.

The seized net was burnt.

The government  imposed a two-month ban on catching of all sorts of fish in the Padma and the Meghna rivers in 100-km area from Laxmipur to Chandpur from March 1 to April 30 to protect jatka (hilsa fry less than nine inches long).