Mongla, Aug 31 (V7N) - The Forest Department has apprehended two members of a criminal gang for illegally entering the Sundarbans to produce dried fish from captured fish. During the operation, officials seized 22 bags of dried fish. The arrests occurred on Thursday afternoon in a raid at Chila Bazaar, near the Pashur River in Mongla. Following the arrests, a case was filed under forest law, and the two detainees were transferred to Bagerhat Central Jail through the court on Friday afternoon.
 
According to Assistant Forest Conservator Rana Dev of the Sundarbans East Forest Division, the seizure was based on a tip-off. Forest officials found 22 bags of illegal shrimp dried fish in the warehouse of Belayet Sardar at Chila Bazaar. The arrested individuals are Kamrul Gazi (29) from Maheshwarpur village, Khulna, and Iqbal Hossain (24) from Momin Shah's family in Koira Upazila. The gang had been entering the Sundarbans during the fish breeding and banned season, using poison for fishing and setting up shelters to produce dried fish.
 
The range officer also noted that the key figures in this criminal operation include Belayet Sardar from Chila, fish market trader Suman, and others such as Abed, Sohel, and Mizan from Dhankmari village in Dacope, Khulna. These individuals have been engaged in various illegal activities in the Sundarbans for an extended period. The Forest Department is actively investigating and working to capture them and enforce legal action.
 
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