JU CORRESPONDENT
A total of 395 kilograms of fish fry were released into the water bodies of Jahangirnagar University (JU) on Wednesday as part of an initiative to strengthen fisheries resources and ensure the proper utilisation of aquatic areas on the campus.
The programme was inaugurated around 11:30am at Ananda Dighi in front of the university's Medical Centre under the initiative of Campus Policy Nexus (CPN), with support from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
Speaking as the chief guest, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said the government is committed to strengthening the national economy through the maximum utilisation of cultivable land and water resources.
"The government's core philosophy is that not a single inch of cultivable land should remain unused. We must ensure the highest possible production from the agriculture and fisheries sectors to achieve economic prosperity," he said.
The minister noted that the nearly 180 acres of water bodies at JU possess significant fisheries potential that had remained largely underutilised in the past.
"For the first time, the government has released 395 kilograms of large-sized fish fry into the university's lakes so that these valuable resources can be properly utilised by the university administration," he added.
Presiding over the programme, JU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan said fish cultivation and migratory birds could coexist naturally within the university's ecosystem.
"The initiative will help generate financial benefits for the university while also contributing to students' nutritional needs without harming the campus's natural environment," he said.
Among others, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) Professor Dr Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr Sohel Ahmed, Treasurer Professor Dr Md Abdur Rob, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Md Delowar Hossain, Acting Director General of the Department of Fisheries Md Zia Haidar Chowdhury, along with teachers, students and officials concerned, were present at the programme.
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