A group of Fisheries Department officials was attacked yesterday morning (3 December) while conducting an operation to recover illegal nets in the Meghna River at Kathir Matha area in Bhola Sadar upazila.
The five injured in the attack were Sadar Upazila Fisheries Officer ASM Mahamudul Hasan, Field Assistant Rafiqul Islam (45), and other team members Jamal (30), Tanzila (28), and Zafar (30).
The injured officials reported that a team from the Fisheries Department was conducting an operation in the Meghna River when they attempted to recover illegal fishing nets. During the operation, they were attacked by local fishermen, allegedly led by a fish trader named Shahin, who was armed with local weapons.
The Fisheries Department team members managed to escape with the help of local residents, though they were forced to stop the operation. The injured officials were later rescued and admitted to 250-bed Bhola General Hospital.
Attempts to get a response from the accused fish trader Shahin were unsuccessful.
Bishwajit Kumar Deb, Bhola district fisheries officer, confirmed legal action would be taken against those responsible for obstructing government work and carrying out the attack.
Abu Sahadat Md. Hasnain Parvez, officer-in-charge of Bhola model police station, stated the Fisheries Department would be filing a case, although no official complaint had been received yet.
