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To increase the production of hilsa fish, a ban on all types of fishing is starting in 2 sanctuaries covering an area of 190 km of Meghna and Tentulia rivers in Bhola. The ban will begin on Thursday (February 29, 2024) at midnight (March 1), and will continue for two months.
Hilsa Fish Sanctuary is spread over 90 km from Char Ilisha to Char Piyal in Bhola and 100 km from Veduria to Char Rustam in the Tetulia River. From 1st March to 30th April - all types of fishing including hilsa will be closed in these two sanctuaries for two months.
According to the Fisheries Protection and Conservation Act, violation of this Act is punishable by rigorous imprisonment from a minimum of one year to a maximum of two years. In addition, a maximum fine of five thousand taka or both can be punished.
The local fisheries department is campaigning to stop fishing during the ban in the sanctuary. Along with holding meetings with fishermen, banners were drawn. Leaflets are being distributed and made to raise awareness.
District Fisheries Officer Abul Kalam Azad said, "Mother Elisha laid her eggs in the river around October-November. The babies that have hatched from those eggs are now in the jatka stage. March and April - if we stop catching these jatakas in these two months, then it will turn into a full hilsa. Therefore, the government has announced a ban on all types of fishing in the sanctuaries of the Meghna and Tentulia rivers for these two months. This will increase the production of hilsa, as well as other fish.
Mahbub Majhi, Sakhawat Majhi, and Hasem Ali, residents of Meghnapar in Dhania Union of Bhola Sadar Upazila, said that although many fishermen did not accept this decision of the government in the beginning, now almost all of them agree. Because, as a result, the fishermen are benefiting.
Farid Hossain, a local fisherman, said that for a few years, a lot of pangas fish have been available in the Meghna River along with hilsa. So they also want the number of all types of fish to increase in the sanctuary.
Day and night raids will be conducted in the two shelters after midnight in effect of the ban. Along with the fisheries department, the concerned upazila administration, police, RAB, and naval police will work in the campaign.
According to the Department of Fisheries, the 8-month Jatka conservation program is ongoing from November 1 last year to June 30 this year. The government is giving 40 kg of rice to 89,600 fishermen families in the district from February to May to prevent fishermen from hunting jatka.
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