1. Environment

Bangladesh to enforce 22-day fishing ban to protect breeding hilsa

The restriction will be in effect from midnight on October 3 to midnight on October 25

Bangladesh has imposed a 22-day nationwide ban on hilsa fishing, marketing, and trade to allow the species to safely spawn, officials said.

The restriction, covering the Padma-Meghna rivers and all inland waterways, will be in effect from midnight on October 3 to midnight on October 25.

The Department of Fisheries said the ban coincides with four days before the Ashwin full moon and three days after the new moon. During this period, hilsa will have an uninterrupted opportunity to lay eggs. Enforcement will involve fisheries officers alongside the navy, coast guard, and other law enforcement agencies.

In Chandpur, a 70-kilometer protected area has been established from Shatnal in Matlab North to Char Bhairabi in Haimchar. District authorities have conducted awareness campaigns, organized rallies, and placed banners in local markets to alert fishermen. Dredging operations are fully suspended, and strict controls are in place to prevent trawlers from entering from offshore waters.

Under the Protection and Conservation of Fish Act 1950 and the Protection and Conservation of Fish Rules 1985, this step aims to preserve the nation’s prized hilsa stock. Around 43,000 fishing households in four Chandpur sub-districts depend on hilsa for their livelihoods. Each family will receive 25 kilograms of rice as support during the ban.

An onsite visit found fishermen in Meghna Par of Chandpur Sadar have already begun repairing boats and nets in preparation for the suspension. Mirza Omar Faruk, fisheries officer of the Sadar Upazila, said, “Hilsa is a priceless national resource. Everyone must cooperate to protect the breeding fish.”

District Commissioner Md Mohosin Uddin distributing leaflets among fishermen to create awareness

District Commissioner Md Mohosin Uddin added that authorities will maintain 24-hour monitoring and may deploy the army if necessary. “Anyone found with hilsa during the ban will be treated as a violator. This resource belongs to everyone, so its protection is a shared responsibility,” he said.

With the upcoming suspension in mind, buyers thronged Chandpur hilsa ghats ahead of the ban, driving up demand and prices. District officials distributed pamphlets and held street meetings urging fishermen to comply with the protection measures.

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