Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has said genuine fishers do not break the law or catch jatka (young hilsa). Jatka is caught by dishonest traders, she said: those who do business through dadon (advance loans) and keep fishers in bondage are the real culprits.

She made the remarks at a views-exchange meeting at the Dayalbharosa fish market in Jatrabari in the capital on the afternoon of Sunday, 13 April, marking Jatka Conservation Week 2025.

The adviser said the interim government wants to get some work done. Wherever people suffer discrimination or injustice, wherever they are in hardship, the government is trying to ease their suffering.

Noting the contribution of fish wholesalers (aratdars) to the country, the adviser said a hygienic market will be built in a complex at Jatrabari, with separate sections for everything. It will be built with the cooperation of the Local Government Ministry and other ministries concerned.

She said the insecurity faced by wholesalers and other fish traders in the market would be addressed through talks with the Home Ministry. "But please do not raise fish prices unnecessarily. Many people mistake jatka for hilsa, and those supplying frozen hilsa are giving people the wrong message. Panta-ilish on Pahela Baishakh is not part of our culture. No hilsa will be supplied at this time, and everyone must be careful about that," she said.

Farida Akhter said the jatka will reach the market after June, when they have grown into hilsa. "Ninety per cent of Bangladesh's people are working people who perhaps cannot afford to buy hilsa. So our job is to make sure we can buy and eat hilsa. We must work together so that hilsa stays affordable after June."

She then called on the wholesalers: "Pledge that you will not catch jatka and will not raise hilsa prices unnecessarily after June."

Department of Fisheries Director General Dr Md Abdur Rouf presided. Md Monirul Islam, deputy director of the department's Dhaka division, gave the welcome speech. Others who spoke included the department's chief scientific officer Masuda Khanam, deputy director Sajdar Hossain, Dhaka district fisheries officer Dr Ayesha Siddika, Md Ferdous on behalf of the leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Dayalbharosa fish wholesale market president Dibyendu Roy Bhulu and general secretary Ali Hossain.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.