Bangladesh: 100 kilograms of banned eized from a fish sanctuary in the Sundarbans

Voice 9, Dhaka Bureau: Conservationists have seized 100 kilograms of banned crabs from a fish sanctuary in Sharankhola, Bagherhat. The crabs were confiscated from a fish sanctuary called Rajair Aquatic Fish Seed Multiplication Center at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, January 17, under the name of Messrs. Talukdar Enterprise. The confiscated crabs are valued at over 1.5 million taka, as reported by the Forest Department.

Sheikh Mahabub Hasan, a ranger of the Sundarbans East Division's Sharankhola Range, stated that January and February are the breeding seasons for crabs in the Sundarbans. During this time, the collection, transportation, possession, or sale of crabs is completely prohibited. However, unscrupulous individuals secretly enter the forest to collect crabs and attempt to poach. Upon receiving this information, we found that Messrs. Talukdar Enterprise, a fish sanctuary adjacent to the Rajair Aquatic Fish Seed Multiplication Center, had stored nearly 100 kilograms of live crabs in three cages and two baskets obtained from the fish sanctuary.
At this time, the perpetrators managed to escape, making it impossible to apprehend them.
The ranger stated that the owners of these crabs are former UP member Shafiqul Islam Dalim of Sona Tala village in Southkhali Union and former UP member and fish sanctuary owner Mojibur Talukdar of Rajair village in Khontakata Union. Legal action is being prepared against them under forest laws. The confiscated crabs will be released back into the Sundarbans as per the court's directive.