A fisherman was allegedly killed in a collision between a speedboat and a fishing trawler during a fishing ban raid by the Fisheries Department on the Kalabadar River at Mehendiganj upazila in Barishal.
The deceased, Miraj Fakir, 30, son of Fakhrul Fakir was a resident of Miyar Char village under Sripur union of Mehendiganj upazila.
According to Julhas Gazi, a relative of deceased Miraj, the incident took place on Monday聽night when a speedboat of a mobile court team led by Mehendiganj upazila fisheries officer Sukanta Kumar Roy, rammed into the trawler.
Miraj Fakir, who was aboard the trawler, sustained severe injuries and was taken to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at around 9:30pm.
鈥楬is only crime was fishing with a banned net. The speedboat rammed into the speedboat while trying to capture him,鈥� alleged Julhas Gazi.
鈥榃e will file a complaint after receiving the autopsy report,鈥� Julhas added.
Sukanta Kumar Roy, marine fisheries officer of Mehendiganj, said, 鈥楢 two-month fishing ban is currently in effect, and we were patrolling the Kalabadar River with an eight-member team as part of our regular operation.鈥�
鈥楽everal fishing trawlers were chasing us, and at one stage one of the trawlers rammed into our speedboat. As a result, our boat was damaged and the trawler was capsized,鈥� the officer said, adding that Miraj was injured during the incident and was immediately taken to a hospital.
鈥業t seemed like an intentional attack by fishermen聽on us,鈥� the fisheries officer also said.
Confirming the incident, Enamul Haque, officer-in-charge of the Kaliganj river police station, said that no complaint had been filed by either party.
Mehendiganj upazila nirbahi officer SM Moshiur Rahman said that the operation was part of routine enforcement by the Fisheries Department to enforce a sixty-day fishing ban on the river.
鈥榃e will take necessary actions after talking to the family members of the fishermen,鈥� he said.
