Teacher among two fined Tk 80,000 in Galachipa for taking seized hilsa home instead of delivering it to orphanage

In Galachipa upazila of Patuakhali, a mobile court has fined two men a total of Tk 80,000 for taking fish seized in a mother-hilsa conservation drive — allocated for distribution to an orphanage and madrasas — to their own homes instead. The drive was carried out on Tuesday night in the Bannyatali ferry ghat area of Ratandi Taltali Union in the upazila.

The two men fined are Mohammad Abdullah, a teacher at Mohammadia Islamia Hafizia Madrasa, and local resident Abul Hossain (55). The mobile court fined each of them Tk 40,000.

According to upazila administration sources, during the mother-hilsa conservation drive the upazila fisheries department seized around 25 kilograms of hilsa and other fish that had been caught illegally from the river. It was later decided that the seized fish would be distributed among three local madrasas and one orphanage.

However, after the distribution work ended, allegations arose that some of the allocated fish had been taken home personally instead of being delivered to the institutions concerned. Following the allegation, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Executive Magistrate Abujor Ijajul Haque and Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Victor Bain went to inspect the institution concerned.

During the inspection, Mohammadia Islamia Hafizia Madrasa was found closed. Teacher Mohammad Abdullah was then summoned and questioned, and he admitted taking the fish home. According to him, because the madrasa is non-residential, he took the allocated fish to his own home and shared it with local resident Abul Hossain.

Officials said it was verified that the fish had reached the other two madrasas. The two accused men were fined through the mobile court over the incident of taking the allocated fish home.

A local UP member and other prominent residents of the area were present during the drive.