Organized at the capital’s Department of Fisheries (DoF) Building on the occasion of National Fisheries Week the event was also addressed by Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Muhammed Sayedul Hoque, MP. The minister mentioned that Bangladesh will be able to attain self-sufficiency in fish by the 2018-19 fiscal year as the government has taken various steps to promote fish-farming. “Bangladesh will be able to revive its traditional glory ‘machhe bhate bangali’ (Bangalis live on fish and rice) by 2018-19 by attaining self-sufficiency in fish production,” he said.
Though Bangladesh’s annual demand for fish is around 41 lakh metric tons, the country will produce 38.5 lakh metric tons in the coming fiscal year, he said. The workshop titled ‘Ensuring Food Safety All Levels of Aquaculture Production and Supply’ was jointly arranged by DoF and Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) marking the National Fish Week 2016.
Organized by Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, National Fisheries Week is being celebrated with official events across the country. While speaking to Daily Sun on the official campaign ‘Bring aquaculture to all water bodies’ and long-term intended goals, senior officials from the ministry said, agencies are planning to spread fish-farming in ‘unutilized privately owned ponds, under-utilized flood-plain, wetlands and other state-owned water bodies.’
At today’s workshop BSFF director Dr Mahmudul Karim presented the keynote paper. DoF director general Dr Syed Arif Azad, Export Promotion Bureau vice chairman Mafruha Sultana, Commerce Ministry joint secretary Fakir Firoz Ahmed and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute DG Dr Yahia Mahmud, among others, spoke at the programme. Speakers at the workshop voiced concern that people may put in serious health risk due to unscientific and indiscriminate use of around 200 types of toxic chemicals in fish feeds. Emphasizing healthy fish production, they urged the government to take effective steps for reducing the pollution of rivers, water bodies and ponds and use of toxic chemicals in fish feeds. The minister also asked the authorities concerned to organize an intra-ministerial roundtable to work out plans to boost in shrimp export.