A special 22-day drive to protect mother hilsa during their main breeding season began on Saturday (4 October) and will run until 25 October. During this time, catching, transporting, storing, buying, selling and exchanging hilsa is completely banned across the country.
A press release from the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) said the Bangladesh Navy was keeping strict watch at sea, on rivers and in coastal areas to carry out the government's order. Under the "In Aid to Civil Power" programme, 17 navy warships are patrolling nine districts of the country.
Ships and areas
As part of the drive, BNS Dhansiri/Shaheed Farid and BNDB Gangchil are patrolling the Chandpur area; BNS Atandra, Shaheed Mohibullah, Durjoy, Sagar and Shaheed Daulat the Cox's Bazar area; BNS Meghna and Chitra/Titas the Khulna area; BNS Karatoya and Abu Bakar/Durgam the Bagerhat area; BNS Salam and Kushiara Pirojpur and Barguna; BNS Padma and Chitra/Titas Barishal; and LCVP-013 Patuakhali. Warships and advanced maritime patrol aircraft are also keeping round-the-clock watch in the deep sea to stop intrusion by local and foreign vessels.
ISPR also said strict legal action would be taken during the drive against dishonest fishermen and mechanised vessels catching hilsa illegally, and publicity campaigns would be run to raise public awareness. "Protecting hilsa breeding grounds and conserving mother hilsa as a national economic resource is our commitment. We are always working to increase the abundance of native fish and ensure the prosperity of fisheries resources," it said.
Those concerned hope that ensuring safe breeding of hilsa, Bangladesh's national fish, will make the country's economy stronger.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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