In a coordinated overnight operation, the Department of Forests and the Bangladesh Coast Guard seized 700 kilograms of crab along with a motorised trawler from Koyra upazila in Khulna, officials confirmed on Sunday.

Acting on intelligence, a joint team launched a raid late on Saturday night at Charamukha Canal, located in South Bedkashi Union along the Kopotakshya River. As the team approached, suspected smugglers abandoned their illicit haul and the trawler, fleeing the scene by jumping into the river.

Details of the Seizure

Context: Government-Imposed Sundarbans Ban

Md Anwar Hossain, an officer from the Kobadak Forest Station, stated that the seizure occurred during the government’s three-month conservation ban on all human activity within the Sundarbans, effective from June to August. This seasonal restriction is imposed annually to help the forest’s delicate ecosystem regenerate, and it prohibits all forms of resource extraction, including:

• Fishing
• Crab harvesting
• Honey collection

Violations during this period are treated as serious offences under the forest conservation laws of Bangladesh.

Investigation Underway

The seized crabs and trawler have been taken into official custody, and an investigation is ongoing to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attempted smuggling. Authorities have not ruled out further arrests as they analyse leads from the abandoned vessel and local intelligence.

“This seizure sends a strong message to those who attempt to exploit natural resources illegally, especially during critical conservation periods,”
said an official involved in the operation.

The incident underscores the growing threat of illegal resource extraction from the Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the importance of vigilant enforcement to protect the region’s biodiversity