Forest guards have apprehended four poachers and three fishermen during separate anti-poaching operations conducted in the East Sundarbans Forest Division. The operations resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of deer-trapping snares, fishing nets, and two motorised trawlers. All seven detainees were forwarded to the Bagerhat court on Thursday afternoon, 11 June.
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Apprehension of Poachers at Shelar Char
According to official sources within the Forest Department, the arrests were made by the Smart Patrol Team of the Sarankhola Range during their routine surveillance duties. On Wednesday evening, 10 June, the forest guards discovered numerous active deer-hunting traps set up inside the Chaprakhali forest, an area managed under the Shelar Char patrol outpost within the Sarankhola Range.
Following a thorough search operation across the forested area, the guards dismantled and recovered a substantial volume of snares. Four poachers were caught red-handed at the scene. Furthermore, the patrol team located and seized a motorised trawler belonging to the poachers, which was found anchored in a nearby canal.
The apprehended poachers have been identified as Solaiman Hawladar (40), Russel (38), Noyon Biswas (17), and Nur Alam (18). All four suspects are residents of Uttar Rajapur village, situated within the Sarankhola Upazila of Bagerhat District.
Detention of Fishermen in Supati Sanctuary
In a separate enforcement operation conducted on Wednesday afternoon, 10 June, forest officials intercepted a group of fishermen inside the protected waters of the Supati forest zone. The individuals were caught fishing during a prohibited seasonal ban period in the Side Canal of the Dora area.
The three fishermen detained at the site have been identified as Hiru (40), Alamgir (35), and Tamim Mridha (19). They are residents of Chhotto Patharghata village, located in the Patharghata Upazila of Barguna District. Their fishing trawler along with their active nets were confiscated by the authorities as evidence of illegal extraction within the sanctuary.
Legal Proceedings and Institutional Statements
The Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) for the Sarankhola Range of the East Sundarbans Forest Division, Mohammad Shariful Islam, confirmed the double law enforcement action. He stated that formal criminal charges have been registered against all four deer poachers and the three fishermen under the prevailing Forest Act. Following the completion of mandatory administrative procedures, the suspects were transferred to the judicial custody of the Bagerhat court at midday on Thursday for their formal arraignment.
Statistical Breakdown of Arrests and Confiscations
The verified tactical data, personnel profiles, and regional distributions regarding both operations are structured in the table below:
| Operation Location & Date | Nature of Forest Offence | Names and Ages of Detainees | Permanent Residential Address | Confiscated Government Evidence |
Chaprakhali Forest, Shelar Char
Wednesday Evening, 10 June | Illegal Deer Poaching | 1. Solaiman Hawladar (40)
2. Russel (38)
3. Noyon Biswas (17)
4. Nur Alam (18) | Uttar Rajapur Village, Sarankhola Upazila, Bagerhat District | One engine-driven trawler and a large cache of deer-hunting snares. |
Side Canal, Dora Area, Supati
Wednesday Afternoon, 10 June | Illegal Fishing during Ban Period | 1. Hiru (40)
2. Alamgir (35)
3. Tamim Mridha (19) | Chhotto Patharghata Village, Patharghata Upazila, Barguna District | One fishing trawler and a haul of prohibited marine nets. |
Forest Department authorities have reaffirmed that active smart patrolling and surveillance operations remain heightened across the East Sundarbans sanctuary zones to safeguard wildlife populations and prevent illegal aquatic harvesting.