Hilsa fishing, sales continue openly in Barishal despite ban
He alleged that fisheries officials might visit once a day but rarely monitored the river afterwards.
Illegal hilsa fishing and sales are continuing across several riverine upazilas of Barishal despite the ongoing ban, with residents alleging inadequate enforcement and a fisherman claiming political backing.
At Char Gopalpur Bazar in Mehendiganj Upazila, Ibrahim Pyada was selling hilsa he bought from fishermen who caught the fish in the Meghna early in the morning. He expressed uncertainty about how they managed to go fishing during the ban.
After collecting the fishermen's phone numbers, the TBS correspondent contacted a man who identified himself as Jamal Munshi. He said he had gone fishing for two nights with the help of a local union-level political leader, who would handle any problems with police and the administration. He declined to name the leader over the phone.
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Munshi claimed fisheries officers rarely visited the area and that fishermen faced few problems if they could manage local leaders. He said many people in Ulania, Kaliganj, Aliganj and Ektar Hat were also fishing during the ban.
Locals said illegal fishing and sales were widespread in the river-adjacent upazilas of Barishal, while enforcement operations remained limited.
At Mirganj Ferry Ghat in Babuganj, local resident Yunus Mia was returning to his home in Muladi with a pair of hilsa he had bought. He said hundreds of fishermen were catching fish despite the ban and questioned why buyers should be blamed when the fish were readily available.
He alleged that fisheries officials might visit once a day but rarely monitored the river afterwards.
Another trader, Abdus Salam, said fishing and buying continued discreetly and claimed the authorities could stop the practice within 24 hours if they genuinely wanted to.
Illegal hilsa fishing was also reported in Babuganj, Muladi, Hizla, Mehendiganj, Wazirpur, Banaripara and Bakerganj.
Monir Hossain, a resident of Karnakathi in Barishal Sadar, said he bought hilsa directly from fishermen on the bank of the Karkhana River in Bakerganj.
He paid Tk1,500 for a one-kilogram fish, Tk1,000 per kg for fish weighing 600–800 grams, and Tk500 per kg for smaller fish. He spent Tk3,000 in total.
Officials cite enforcement challenges
Mehendiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Riazur Rahman said he had heard that fish were sold in local markets early in the morning. He said operations were difficult at night because of rough river conditions and the time needed to cross from one bank to another.
"We are trying, but we are still unable to stop illegal fishing," he said, adding that local political leaders had been asked to intervene, but no results were visible.
Mehendiganj Fisheries Officer Mahfuzur Rahman said fishermen had become aggressive when officials went to the river to conduct operations. He added that the Bangladesh Coast Guard had been forced to fire blank shots after facing attacks.
Barishal District Fisheries Officer Md Hadiuzzaman said only four fisheries officers were assigned to monitor the 318-square-kilometre hilsa sanctuary in the region.
He said navigating the river became difficult after sunset and that the department had almost no budget for operations this year, resulting in fewer drives than before.
The department believes illegal hilsa sales are taking place in numerous markets across Barishal district, mostly in Hizla and Mehendiganj, he added.
Barishal Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mamun Khandaker acknowledged violations in some areas, saying the authorities were working together to prevent illegal fishing and had decided to intensify operations.
According to the Barishal Fisheries Office, 358,516 fishermen across Barishal division have been allocated 25kg of rice each during the fishing ban.
The government imposed a 22-day nationwide hilsa fishing ban from 8 to 29 October 2026 to protect mother hilsa during the peak spawning season. During the ban, hilsa transportation, storage, marketing, purchase, sale and exchange are prohibited nationwide.
Fishermen who refrain from fishing are eligible for VGF food assistance, while a mother hilsa conservation drive is also planned.
