Dhaka: A 22-day government ban on catching, selling, and transporting Hilsa fish is set to commence tomorrow, aiming to protect mother Hilsa during their peak breeding season across three upazilas in the district.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, District Fishery Officer (DFO) Md. Saifur Rahman announced that the government has implemented a nationwide ban from October 4 to 25 this year. This initiative is part of the Mother Hilsa Conservation campaign, actively promoted throughout the district's three upazilas. In support of this effort, the government will provide Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) food assistance to fishermen abstaining from Hilsa fishing during this period.
To mitigate the impact of the ban on fishermen's livelihoods, the government has allocated 244.65 metric tons of rice for distribution as food assistance to the affected families in Harirampur, Shibalaya, and Daulatpur upazilas. The DFO highlighted that 9,786 fishermen families in these areas will benefit from this support, receiving 25 kilograms of rice per month during the ban.