A mobile court on Monday sentenced nine fishermen to seven days of rigorous imprisonment each for illegally catching hilsa during the ongoing ban period.

The mobile court, led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) Nigar Sultana, also fined each of the convicted fishermen Tk 10,000, in default of which they will have to serve an additional seven days in jail.

Another fisherman, identified as a minor, was released on bail.

The special drive was conducted by a task force as part of a 22-day nationwide campaign to protect mother hilsa during the peak breeding season in the Raipur-Meghna sanctuary area of the district.

During the operation, which was carried out in the Meghna River from 1:30 AM till dawn on Sunday (October 12), the team seized 15 kilograms of hilsa, a fishing boat, and 80,000 metres of current nets.

The seized nets were later destroyed by burning, while the confiscated fish were distributed among the poor.