Agribusiness
Hilsa's Reverse Journey
With about 500 tonnes of hilsa arriving from India in two months and domestic production falling, the columnist argues Bangladesh must rethink how it protects the fish.
Categories
Bangladesh
Fisheries
Why Padma and Meghna hilsa taste better: the secret is in what the fish eats
Chittagong University research points to estuary plankton and the fat it builds; only about 2 per cent of Bangladesh's hilsa comes directly from the Padma, while most of the big, flavoursome fish are caught in the Meghna basin.
Crops
Lemongrass takes root in the Barind as Naogaon grower sells leaves, seedlings and tea
At Barind Agro Park in Sapahar, Naogaon, entrepreneur Sohel Rana grows lemongrass commercially, selling fresh and dried leaves and seedlings; agriculture officials say the low-input perennial could become a new cash crop for the dry north-west.
Fisheries
Bangladesh imported 3.5 lakh kg of hilsa from Gujarat; minister orders a halt
The Department of Fisheries allowed hilsa imports from India at traders' request without the ministry's knowledge; after learning of it, the fisheries minister demanded an explanation and ordered that no further permission be given.
Fruits
Three Juri farmers grow year-round watermelon on trellises for the first time and say three bighas can earn Tk 5 lakh in three months
Khurshed Alam, Sirajul Islam and Saidul Islam of Domabari village in Moulvibazar planted off-season watermelon under the Sylhet region agricultural development project; upazila agriculture officer Mahmudul Alam Khan says the method opens a way to higher profit from small plots.
Environment
Timber thieves fell 900 trees in Barguna's Tengragiri and Nalbunia forests in four days
Around 900 trees were cut from the protected Tengragiri and Nalbunia forests in Taltali, Barguna, between 12 and 16 September; residents accuse Forest Department staff of shielding the loggers, and the upazila administration has formed a five-member inquiry committee.
Agribusiness
General Public Will Also Be Able to Buy TCB's 'Optional Products'
Under a new TCB guideline, family card holders keep their monthly oil, sugar and lentils, while soap, salt, tea, flour and spices become optional products that anyone can buy.
Market Management
Flour prices climb in Dhaka while broiler chicken and eggs stay dear
Loose atta has gone up Tk 5 a kilo and maida Tk 10 in a month; broiler sells at Tk 190–200 a kilo and a dozen brown eggs at Tk 150, unchanged for six weeks.
Environment
Bangladesh's climate plans look good on paper but fall short in practice: Ainun Nishat
At the Syed Humayun Kabir Memorial Research Symposium, the water and climate specialist cited weak coordination between ministries, little help from the agriculture and health ministries, and donor-funded documents that 'gather dust on the shelf'.
Environment
Low pressure due over the Andaman Sea within 48 hours as rain ends Bangladesh heatwave
The Met Office's extended five-day outlook sees a low forming over the north Andaman Sea by 19 September, gusty showers across all divisions and moderately heavy to heavy rain in places.
Livestock
Stop the misuse of antibiotics in poultry, state minister tells Gazipur workshop; farmers now hold farmer cards and hatching-egg exports have begun
At a workshop on enforcing the Fish Feed and Animal Feed Act 2010, State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku said needless antibiotics put food safety and production costs at risk, and that the government is alert to complaints of horse meat being sold in Gazipur.
Environment
In Alfadanga you now need a forest officer's permit to fell a tree on your own land
Citing the Forest and Tree Conservation Act 2026, the upazila administration in Faridpur's Alfadanga has made prior permission from the divisional forest officer mandatory before cutting trees even on private land, with cases under section 10 for violators, and spent a day announcing the rule by lou
Agribusiness
CUFL urea plant shuts again two days after a six-month restart
A seal leak in the RC pump and low gas pressure mean no production before Saturday; the 1,100-tonne-a-day factory made only 65,000 tonnes of urea in all of 2025-26.