Additional IGP Kusum Dewan, head of the river police, has directed that the upcoming Mother Hilsa Conservation Drive 2025 be run with the necessary number of officers and forces to ensure it succeeds.

A meeting and discussion was held for the purpose at river police headquarters on Monday (29 September), chaired by Additional IGP Kusum Dewan.

The drive will begin on 4 October and run until 25 October, 22 days in all. During this period catching, transporting, storing, buying, selling, processing, marketing and exchanging hilsa will be completely banned nationwide.

The meeting reviewed in detail possible risks during the drive, the threat of obstruction and attacks by criminals, the demarcation of banned waters, coordination with the Department of Fisheries and fishing communities, and the safety of personnel.

Additional IGP Kusum Dewan said the river police would be fully engaged in carrying out the government's firm stand on protecting mother hilsa. The necessary number of officers and forces will be deployed to run drives in areas where catching hilsa and all other fish is banned, and the drives must be run in close coordination with the Department of Fisheries and other relevant agencies.

He added that the recovery of illegal nets must be stepped up compared with previous years, and no slackness would be tolerated.

The river police hope the initiative will achieve the goal of conserving mother hilsa and further enrich the country's hilsa resources.

River police DIGs, additional DIGs, superintendents of police, additional superintendents, police inspectors and officers of other ranks joined the meeting in person and virtually.

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