Bangladesh, June 12 -- As many as 18 fishermen have been arrested during a river police operation against unauthorised fishing in the Megna River in Rabnabad.

Acting on a tip-off, a river police team conducted a drive and arrested the 18 fishermen and seized their four trawlers, fishing nets and one mound of fish on Friday afternoon.

Legal action will be taken against those held for fishing against the government ban, said a senior officer of Kalapara Upazila Fisheries Department.

READ: Bay fishing ban made 70pc fishermen jobless: COAST

Last month, the Bangladesh government imposed a 65-day ban, from May 20 to July 23, on fishing in the Bay of Bengal. The ban was imposed in the interest of the national economy, Fisheries and Livestock...