A 22-day government ban on catching, selling and transporting Hilsha will come into effect from today (Sunday) to save mother hilsa during the peak breeding season across the country, reports BSS.
Manikganj District Fishery Officer (DFO) Md Saifur Rahman said the ban would continue 22 days till November 03. "Mother Hilsha Conservation Campaign was being conducted through three upazilas of the district.
"The government is providing VGF food assistance to the fishermen who will refrain from catching hilsa during the period," the DFO said.
The government has allocated 200 tonnes of rice under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme for distribution to 8000 fisherman families of three upazilas- Harirampur, Shibalaya and Daulatpur for their food assistance.
The DFO said the distribution of rice will be conducted among the recipients through the concerned Union Parishad Chairman. Each of the listed fisherman families will get 25 kg of rice under the VGF programme.
Hilsa, the national fish of Bangladesh, is recognised as a certified patented product of Bangladesh. The marine fish swims to rivers in Bangladesh to lay eggs.
The fish is very popular both in Bangladesh and West Bengal in India.
The sources said, "Chandpur is considered one of the largest trading hubs of hilsa in Bangladesh as the fish from the Padma river is much more popular than the ones that come from other rivers because of its extremely pleasing taste."
UNB adds: Prices of hilsa shot up again in Chandpur markets ahead of the ban taking effect today to ensure safe spawning in the freshwaters of the Padma and Meghna rivers.
The ban sparked a rush at Chandpur's Boro Station fish ghat, one of the country's largest fish landing centers, where buyers were scrambling to purchase the priced fish before the restriction took.
All fishing, transporting, selling, and stocking of hilsa in this area will be prohibited durning the ban.
Despite increased production -- reaching 571,342 tonnes in the fiscal year 2022-23, up from 566,593 tonnes the previous year -- the demand for hilsa remains high in Bangladesh, keeping prices elevated in the local market.
In the fiscal year 2023-24, Bangladesh exported 664.86 tonnes of hilsa to India, generating $7.71 million, according to the Department of Fisheries. The previous year saw export of 1,376.42 tonnes of hilsa, worth $13.68 million.
