7, including Indian national, arrested over illegal trawling in Ctg
During the operation, Coast Guard personnel seized 12 banned trawling nets worth around Tk36 lakh, along with a large stock of equipment used to produce the illegal gear.
The Bangladesh Coast Guard has arrested seven people, including an Indian national, in connection with illegal trawling activities in Chattogram's Karnaphuli area.
Among the detainees is Pandit Biswas, 39, a citizen of India's West Bengal state, whom authorities identified as the main organiser behind the illegal manufacture of trawling nets. Six Bangladeshi technicians were also arrested from the site.
The arrests were made yesterday evening during a raid on a factory near Char Patharghata, following intelligence reports, the Coast Guard said in a press release today afternoon.
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During the operation, Coast Guard personnel seized 12 banned trawling nets worth around Tk36 lakh, along with a large stock of equipment used to produce the illegal gear.
According to officials, Pandit Biswas entered Bangladesh on a travel visa on 27 November 2023 and had been involved in converting wooden fishing boats into artisanal trawling vessels across different coastal areas.
The Coast Guard said the use of small-mesh illegal nets has severely reduced fish breeding in the Bay of Bengal over the past four years, raising serious concerns for marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods.
Officials also noted that Pandit Biswas was arrested in August 2023 on similar charges but was later released on bail, after which he allegedly resumed the illegal operation. The owners of the factory remain at large, and intelligence surveillance has been intensified to locate them.
Legal proceedings against the arrested individuals are underway, the Coast Guard added.
