Underscoring the need for utilising the huge potentials of the country's fisheries sector, President Abdul Hamid Tuesday said the verdict regarding maritime boundaries has created huge possibilities for Bangladesh to harvest fisheries resources from the sea, reports BSS.
"You know we have huge open water bodies, closed-water bodies and sea like Bay-of-Bengal apart from having river-canal- haor-baor . . . today we have got some 19,467 square kilometers of maritime areas that has created huge possibilities to harvest fisheries resources," the President said while addressing a programme of releasing fish fry in the pond of Bangabhaban as part of the National Fisheries Week-2014.
The President released fish fry at 'Singha Pokur' (Lion Pond) at Bangabhaban and urged the countrymen to release fish fry as well as reserve it in open water bodies, including ponds, haors, on the occasion of fisheries week. He said more than 11 per cent of the country's population is directly and indirectly engaged with the fisheries sector and 2.5 per cent of the country's export earnings come from the sector.
Considering the importance of the fisheries sector, the government has already identified fisheries sub-sector as a major sector of poverty alleviation, employment generation and overall economic development in the Poverty Reduction Strategic Paper, said the President.
He emphasised on taking joint efforts by all including the government and other stakeholder for increasing fish production and proper management of vast aquatic resources of the country.
"It's not only the responsibility of the government . . . it is needed to take joint programme involving all including non-government, voluntary and commercial organisations as well as research institutes to increase fish production and manage vast aquatic resources," he said.
"I hail from haor area . . . from my childhood and I was acquainted with various natural-grown fish spices. But at present the fish production has been reduced in the haor area compared to the past," the president said.
Moreover, many indigenous species are being lost but it is a matter of hope that the government has been taking steps for the development and preservation of indigenous fish species, he added.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Sayedul Haque, State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Narayon Chandra Chanda also spoke on the occasion.
President\\\'s call to release fish fry in open water bodies
FE Team | Published: July 09, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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