75pc of work on fish sanctuaries in 10 districts completed

So far 200 fish sanctuaries established out of the targeted 270

OUR CORRESPONDENT | September 05, 2025 00:00:00

Photo shows a newly-established fish sanctuary in Jowaria canal of Gopalpur union under Tungipara upazila of Gopalganj district. — FE Photo

GOPALGANJ, Sept 03: About 75 per cent work of a project to establish fish sanctuaries in 10 districts has been completed, according to Gopalganj district fisheries office.

The project - involving an estimated cost of Tk1.95 billion -- was initiated in 2020 and its entire work will be completed by June, 2026, sources said.

Besides Gopalganj, the project work has been undergoing in neighbouring Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Barisal, Pirojpur, Borguna, Bagerhat, Jhalakathi and Narail districts.

Gopalganj District Fisheries Officer (DFO) Bijan Kumar Nandi told the FE that the major target of the project was to address the deficit in fish production on account of the application of a huge quantity of chemical fertilisers by growers.

"By now, about 10 to 15 kinds of indigenous fish species have become extinct in the country," he said, adding that the project is aimed at increasing fish production and development activities for snails, oysters and indigenous fish varieties.

"A section of people have been catching fish using current net and if we are not aware about indigenous fish conservation, they will become totally extinct from our country in around 10 years," he added.

Parimal Biswas, president of Rakhilabari Fisheries Shamiti of Tungipara Upazila's Gopalpur Union, said that the government steps, such as establishing fish sanctuaries, have been increasing production of native fishes in the waterbodies of the district.

Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Debashis Bachar said works for a total of 10 fish sanctuaries have already been completed in Tungipara upazila.

The project created work opportunities in 52 upazilas for 108,847 people, who are competent beneficiaries of the project, according to Md Khaleduzzaman, project director (PD), Conservation and Development of Indigenous Fish Species and Snail Project.

So far 200 fish sanctuaries have been established out of the targeted 270 in the 10 districts, he also said.

"I think the conservation and development initiative of native species of fish and snails will be effective and fruitful," PD Md Khaleduzzaman added.

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