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Jatka Conservation Week begins March 11

News Desk || risingbd.com

Published: 12:06, 7 March 2024  
Jatka Conservation Week begins March 11

Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdur Rahman said Jatka Conservation Week-2024 will be observed from March 11 to 17 to discourage the fishermen to catch the hilsa fry to boost its production.

The minister said this while addressing a press conference marking the Jatka conservation week at the meeting room in the Secretariat here on Wednesday (March 6).

Like every year, various programmes will be taken on the occasion of Jatka Conservation Week over seven days, the minister said.

This year’s Jatka Conservation Week will be inaugurated on March 11 at Molehead premises of Sadar Upazila Chandpur and a boat rally will be held on the Meghna river on the day, he said.

“The government has allocated 40kg rice per month for the fishermen families during the ban on hilsa catching,” he added.

The present government is not only enforcing laws to protect Jatka but it (government) has also increased the amount of VGF food assistance to fishermen during this fishing ban, he said.

The minister said that in 2023-24 fiscal year, the government has been continuing a VGF rice distribution programme, where 57 thousand 771 metric tons of rice is being given in 20 districts of 97 upazilas. As part of the programme, a total of 3 lakh 61 thousand 71 fishermen families are being given 40 kg of rice for 4 months.

Abdur Rahman said the Fisheries Department under the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, concerned district and upazila administration, Navy, Coast Guard, Police, Naval Police, RAB, Ansar-VDP and BGB are working continuously for the conservation of Jatka (hilsa fry).

“One of the main obstacles to increasing hilsa production is illegal nets,” said the minister.

To stop illegal fishing practices, the minister said a “Special Combing Operation” was conducted in 17 districts over 30 days in January and February of this year. 

This operation led to the destruction of 7,669 behundi nets, 448.71 million metres of current nets, and 19,742 others. 

It also resulted in 690 lawsuits, with fines totalling Tk23 crore and sentencing 192 individuals.

Naymuddin/AI