DHAKA, April 30, 2026 (BSS) - River Police arrested 125 people and seized a huge quantity of illegal fishing equipment and aquatic resources during a nationwide seven-day drive aimed at protecting fisheries and ensuring river safety.

According to a River Police press release, the seized items included 38,044,920 meters of illegal nets, 3,938 kilograms of fish, 7,409,000 shrimp fry, 5,300 bagda shrimp post-larvae, and 160 kilograms of jelly-injected shrimp.

Legal action was taken against 41 bulkhead vessels for operating without valid documents.

During the drive, a total of 43 cases were filed over various offences, including violations of fisheries laws, reckless navigation, illegal sand extraction, river pollution, theft, robbery and a murder case.

Two bodies were also recovered during the operations.

The seized illegal nets and harmful shrimp were destroyed, while shrimp fry were released into the rivers. The remaining fish were distributed among orphanages, the release added.