Fishermen in coastal districts are taking preparation to go to the Bay of Bengal to catch hilsa as the 22-day government ban, from October 7 to 28, on fishing the delicious fish comes to an end on Monday.
The government imposed a ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transportation of hilsa in different rivers to boost Hilsa output through protection of the mother fish during its peak breeding season.
Officials at the Fisheries Department, Bangladesh Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, district and upazila administration, police, RAB conducted drives to prevent hilsa fishing during the period.
Besides, executive magistrates conducted mobile courts and punished a good number of fishermen who violated the ban.
Now, they are taking preparations to go again for catching hilsa. Their trawlers and nets are prepared to resume fishing, reports UNB.
Local fishermen alleged that fishermen from India enter Bangladesh water territories illegally to catch hilsa during the ban. They demanded government steps to stop foreign fishermen.
Sheikh Idris Sheikh, president of Bagerhat Coastal Fishermen Association, sought government steps so that Indian fishermen could not enter Bangladesh territory to catch fish.
Zia Haider Chowdhury, district fisheries officer, said, "Now we've to save Hilsa fry (under 10 inches). The authorities will impose a ban on catching Hilsa fry from November 1 to June 30 in coastal areas."
According to the information of the Department of Fisheries, there are 1.62 million registered fishermen in the country.
Among them, a total 39,103 fishermen are in Bagerhat district. The production of hilsa in 2017-18 fiscal year was 0.51 million metric tons.
