Dhaka: Members of Bangladesh Coast Guard in a drive arrested 12 fishermen for catching sharks from the Baleshwar River in Bhandaria upazila of Pirojpur.

Tipped off, a coast guard team launched a drive in Harinpal Eco-Park area of Bhandaria in the river around 7:30 pm on Friday, sources at Bangladesh Coast Guard headquarters said.

Sensing presence of the law enforcers, some fishermen on an engine run-boat tried to flee the scene but the coast guard team seized it after a hot chase.

Later, the team recovered 18 sharks searching the boat, said operation officer of Coast Guard West Zone Lt Commander M Fariduzzaman Khan.

The team also arrested 12 fishermen in this connection.

Later, the detainees along with the boat and the seized sharks were handed over to Bhandaria forest office, he said.