Thirteen people, including the in-charge of a marine police outpost, were injured as fishermen attacked the law enforcers during an operation in a Meghna River fishing sanctuary at Hijla upazila in Barishal.

The police fired eight rounds of blank shots and brought the situation under control.

The incident took place on Friday night at a place called Sabuj Boya in the Meghna River of the upazila.

Hijla upazila nirbahi officer Mohammad Tarek Howladar said that from Friday evening several teams of the police, along with marine police and upazila fisheries officer, started operations in the Meghna River at Hijla upazila.

At that time, hundreds of fishermen engaged in fishing violating a 60-day fishing ban attacked a team.

In the attack, at least 13 people including Hijla marine police outpost in-charge Bikash Chandra Dey were injured and admitted to hospitals.

Officer-in-charge of Hijla police station Yunus Mia said that there was a sudden attack on the police at night.

The injured are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, the OC said, adding that action will be taken against those involved in the incident.

ASI Saeed Hossain, duty officer of Hijla marine police outpost, said that the operation team was attacked before they could understand anything.

Eight rounds of shots were fired to bring the situation under control, the ASI said, adding that more than 13 people of the police boat were injured in the incident.

The injured included, among others, marine police outpost in-charge Bikash Chandra Dey, constable Zakaria and the boatman, Saeed said.

Besides, some other boats were completely dismantled and passengers of those boats were also injured.