At least 20 people, including policemen and few officials of the district fisheries department, were injured in an attack by a group of fishermen in the Meghna river early on Thursday morning.
MM Pervez, a senior officer of Hizla upazila fisheries department, said that as part of the ongoing drive to save the mother hilsa, "a team, including 16 policemen, conducted a drive in the Meghna in the Khalishpur area on a speed boat around 5am".
When they reached the Hizla point, the fishermen, who were engaged in netting hilsa, attacked them with bamboo sticks, leaving 20 people injured, the officer said.
Police had to open fire to bring the situation under control.
Among the injured, constable Mahfuz sustained serious injuries to his head, said Pervez.
Police also arrested nine fishermen while they were trying to flee the scene.
Yunus Mia, officer-in-charge of Hizla Police Station, said, “The fishermen with 50 boats encircled us and carried out the attack. We are trying to arrest the other attackers."
The government has imposed a 22-day ban on catching, selling and transporting hilsa in a 7,000-km breeding ground to ensure the safe spawning of the fish during its peak breeding period, from October 7.