No more Hilsa fishing from Sunday night

Fishermen along with their trawlers have started to return their homes from Bay of Bengal following a government ban imposed on fishing Hilsa.

The government has imposed ban on the catching, selling and transportation of Hilsa for 22 days from 1 October to 22.

There are also rules of punishment and fines for breaching the ban order.

Following the ban, the fishermen are returning from their business.

Besides, the fishermen urged the government to take action against the fishermen from India and Myanmar who enter Bangladeshi water illegally during the ban and catch Hilsa.

Sources at fisheries department said that the Hilsa traders, sellers, buyers and fishermen ultimately are being benefited as the ban on Hilsa catching during the peak breeding season for last several years increased the production of Hilsa. Besides, Hilsa is contributing to fulfill demand of protein in the country.

The ban imposed during the last few years was successful in sustaining their population.

It was seen in the KB Bazar Ghat in Bagerhat on Friday that the fishermen are returning to their homes anchoring their trawlers in the ghat.

Bagerhat Fisheries Department fisheries officer Md Zia Haider Chowdhury said that the period (1-22 October) is known as the peak breeding season of Hilsa.

“The Hilsa fishes move from coastal areas to the Padma and Meghna rivers to lay eggs during the month of October. Around 60 per cent of Hilsa lay eggs in this period. For their safety breeding, the government imposes ban in this period every year,” he said.

Catching, selling, transportation, storage and also exchange will remain banned in this period, the official said, adding that the drive of the officials of the fisheries department, Bangladesh Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, district and upazila administration, police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) will be underway in the period.

Besides, the executive magistrates will conduct mobile courts.

Anyone breaches the ban order will be punished the lowest one year jail and also be fined, he cited.

The official also said that more than 400,000 metric tonnes of Hilsa were produced in the last season.

Bagerhat Coastal Fishermen Association president Idris Sheikh alleged that the Indian fishermen enter Bangladesh territory and catch fish during the banned period.

The fishermen of the coastal areas also made the same allegations.

They urged the government to take actions against the unruly Indian fishermen.

Source: unb