The government on Tuesday approved a Hilsha development project of Tk2.46 billion to increase production of the fish.
Presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved five projects at a total cost of Tk 12.66 billion at its meeting in Dhaka.
Talking to journalists after the meeting, planning minister MA Mannan said the Department of Fisheries (DoF) would work on the development of the Hilsha fish to ensure enforcement of the laws for conservation of mother Hilsha and Jhatka, and increasing its production.
When asked, Planning Commission member Zakir Hossain Akand said the main objective of the project is to boost the fish production to 0.62 million tonnes from the existing level of 0.53 million tonnes.
Besides, creating alternative employment opportunities for some 30,000 fishermen families engaged in catching Hilsha fish and distributing some 10,000 legal fishing nets among the fishermen are also the targets of the project, which is scheduled to end in June 2024, he added.
Mr Akanda said the contribution of the fish to the overall fisheries production is 11 per cent while its contribution to the country's GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is one per cent.
According to the project proposal, it will be implemented at some 134 Upazilas under 29 districts of six divisions.
The DoF will work at six fish sanctuaries and train up some 18,000 fishermen to create alternative employment opportunities for them.
Mr. Mannan said that the national exchequer would bear the entire expenditure for the five projects - four are new ones and the rest is a revised project.
He said the PM has asked the authorities concerned to motivate fish farming in cages in the water, side by side providing necessary training and cash supports as well as distributing rice to the fishermen who remain out of work during the lean season.
The PM also ordered expediting repair and maintenance works alongside construction of the roads and highways, said the planning minister.
He said the premier directed the authorities concerned to avoid unnecessary road construction, safeguarding arable land and the establishments as much as possible while constructing roads. Roads also obstruct free movement of water, the PM was quoted to have told the meeting.
Sheikh Hasina also put emphasis on skills development training for the expatriate Bangladeshis who returned home from various countries following the Covid-19 pandemic so that they could again go abroad for working.
The ECNEC revised the establishment of 40 technical training centres at 40 upazilas and one institute of marine technology in Chattogram (1st revision) project, increasing the cost by Tk 3.36 billion to Tk 16.67 billion.
The other approved projects are: Construction of 73 Composite/Modern Border Observation Post (BOP) of BGB at the bordering areas at Tk 2.33 billion, establishing 25-bed Shanti Nibash at eight government sishuparibar at Tk 739.9 million, and widening of Digpait-Sarishabari-Tarakandi road under Jamalpur district at Tk3.76 billion cost.
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