22-Day Ban on Fishing Hilsa Starts Tomorrow

The government has issued a 22-day ban on fishing in the seas and rivers to protect Mother Hilsa.

The ban will be effective from Monday (October 13). The ban will continue in seas and rivers till November 3. During this time, hunting, storing, and transporting all kinds of fish including Hilsa in the sea and river will be considered as a punishable crime.

The government keeps this 22-day ban in front of the full moon of the month of Ashwin considering the breeding time based on science.

Besides, keeping this 22-day ban in force, the Mother Hilsa conservation campaign will also be implemented. As there is a ban on hunting all types of fish, including Hilsa, the fishermen of the coastal area already reaching the shore with boats and fishing equipment.

According to the law, harvesting and selling Hilsa fish during prohibition can be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a maximum of two years or a fine of up to five thousand taka or with both punishments.

Every year at this time, Mother Hilsa flocks from the sea to the Padma-Meghna River to lay eggs. According to the report of our Chandpur district correspondent, no fisherman will be able to enter the river in the 100 km area from Shatnol of Meghna river in Chandpur to Char Alexander in Lakshipur district for the next 22 days. Meanwhile, the fishermen of the Padma-Meghna banks are taking the net boats ashore.

Meanwhile, the coastal fishermen are worried about this jobless season as always. They are worried about supporting their families during the ban period.

According to sources, there are more than half a lakh fishermen in Chandpur. Among them, 43,000 fishermen are registered. Only the registered fishermen get 25 kg of rice as government assistance during this idle season. Therefore, besides increasing the food assistance from the government, the fishermen here demand financial assistance.

Several fishermen of Meghna Par in Chandpur said that some fishermen do not obey the law.