A mobile court in Patuakhali's Galachipa upazila has fined a madrasa teacher and another person a total of Tk 80,000 for allegedly misappropriating Hilsa fish allocated for a residential madrasa.
On Tuesday night, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abuzar Mohammad Ejajul Haq fined the two individuals Tk 40,000 each.
According to the upazila fisheries department, the upazila administration and fisheries department jointly conducted a drive against illegal fishing in the Tentulia river on Tuesday evening, during which 25 kilograms of illegally caught Hilsa were seized.
The seized fish were later distributed among students of three local madrasas and an orphanage at the Bonatali ferry terminal adjacent to the Tentulia river.
During the distribution, a teacher named Mohammad Abdullah received a portion of the Hilsa on behalf of his madrasa. However, instead of taking the fish to the institution, he stored them in the refrigerator at his personal residence.
Upazila Fisheries Officer Victor Bain told Chitra Post that Mohammad Abdullah had identified himself as a teacher of a residential madrasa while claiming the fish for his students. It was later revealed that his madrasa was not residential at all, and he had taken the fish home to store in his refrigerator. Local resident Abul Hossain had provided false testimony in favor of Abdullah during the distribution.
UNO Abuzar Mohammad Ejajul Haq said that Hilsa seized during the mother Hilsa conservation drive was subsequently distributed to local madrasas and orphanages. However, since Mohammad Abdullah and Abul Hossain took the fish meant for a residential madrasa and stored them at home, they were penalized with the fines.
