Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter announced on Tuesday that although it may not be possible to provide fishermen with interest-free loans. They will be provided loans at low interest rates.
She emphasised that the fishermen need to refrain from fishing during the three government-imposed bans each year to boost hilsa production.
Addressing a “Mother Hilsa Conservation Campaign-2024” awareness meeting held at the sand fields near Bhola Canal, she mentioned that plans are in place to explore alternative support for fishermen during the ban period, but she requested some time to implement these measures.
The adviser urged everyone to work together to protect the hilsa fishery, saying that hilsa is an international resource and no district that produces hilsa should have impoverished residents.
She also said that the home of hilsa is not Chandpur, but Bhola, and emphasised that foreign fishermen have no rights to fish in Bangladesh’s waters.
Farida instructed law enforcement agencies to take action against them and warned of strict measures against anyone violating regulations aimed at protecting mother hilsa. Chaired by Bhola Deputy Commissioner Md. Azad Jahangir, special guests including Saeed Mahmud Belal Haider, Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and Zillur Rahman, Director General of the Department of Fisheries, among others, were present on the occasion.
Over 500 fishermen from the Meghna and Tetulia rivers participated in the exchange meeting.