Coast Guard detained 29 fishermen and seized five illegal artisanal trawling boats along with a large quantity of fishing nets during a late-night raid in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram on Monday.

According to Lt. Shakib Mehboob, media officer of the Coast Guard East Zone, the operation was conducted in the Shekherkhil Government Bazar area following a tip-off. The team recovered boats and nets estimated to be worth around Tk 36 lakh.

During the drive, all fishing equipment was removed from the boats, and 10 trawling nets were destroyed in the presence of the upazila fisheries officer, Mehboob added.

The boat owners were fined Tk 10.50 lakh, after which the detained fishermen were released.

The use of illegal artisanal trawling methods remains a concern in Bangladesh’s coastal waters, prompting regular crackdowns by the Coast Guard to protect marine biodiversity and ensure compliance with fishing regulations.