Bangladesh has become the third top aquaculture fish producing country in the world, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
As per the FAO's latest report in 2018, Bangladesh ranks third among the aquaculture fish producing countries after China and India, said Fisheries and Livestock Minister Narayan Chandra Chanda at a press conference in the city on Wednesday.
The minister highlighted various achievements in the fisheries sector at the press conference on the National Fisheries Week 2018 at the Matsya Bhaban.
"The contributions of fisheries sector is 3.57 per cent to GDP (Gross Domestic Production), and 25.30 per cent to Agriculture-based GDP," he said.
Production of hilsa has been increased to 0.495 million tonnes in fiscal year (FY) 2016-17 from 0.299 million tonnes in FY 2008-09, he added.
The country produced a total of 4.134 million fishes in FY 2016-17, which was 84,000 tonnes higher than the target, he said.
Such successes in fish production helped the country achieve third position in the domestic aquaculture fish production, he added.
The minister also announced that the National Fisheries Week-2018 will now begin on July 22.
The week was scheduled to begin on July 18 (Wednesday), but the date has been changed due to an unavoidable circumstance, he said.
Rallies, seminar, roundtable and fairs related to aquaculture and fisheries technology will be organised across the country during the Fisheries Week.
The theme of this year's fisheries week is 'Soyong Shompurno Machhe Desh, Bangabandhur Bangladesh' (The country is self-reliant in fish production, it is Bangabandhu's Bangladesh).
"We will observe the week from July 22 to July 28 to make people aware of achievements in the fisheries sector and include them in the various programmes," said Fisheries Minister Narayan Chandra.
Some preparatory events already started on Wednesday, he said.
saif.febd@gmail.com