Fisheries and livestock adviser Farida Akhter has said: "Fishers will get back their rightful due."

She said this in the Nimgachhi area of Raiganj upazila, Sirajganj, on the afternoon of Sunday, 6 July.

Farida Akhter said: "There are problems across the country over the leasing of haors, baors, beels and other waterbodies. Although genuine fishers have the rightful claim, others take the leases of the jalmahals (government waterbodies). But if the policy of 'the waterbody belongs to whoever owns the net' is implemented, the jalmahal lease problem will be removed. We are also working on changing the lease policy."

She added: "Young people brought about the fall of fascism. They will remove all discrimination. But if we cannot give them jobs and training, that will be a great failure on our part."

The views-exchange meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Nazrul Islam. Department of Fisheries director general Dr Md Abdur Rouf, district fisheries officer Shahinur Rahman, Nimgachhi community-based fisheries resource management project officer Shahidul Islam and Raiganj upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) Humayun Kabir were present.

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