Country to be self-sufficient in fish, rice by 2018, says minister
STAFF REPORTER
Bangladesh will attain self-sufficiency in rice and fish by 2018, fisheries and livestock minister Sayedul Haque asserted on Saturday.
The country has earned the status of the fourth major fish producer in the world. Fish production is increasing every year due to various steps taken by the government. It is always said that Bangalis live on rice and fish. We expect the nation to become self-sufficient in fish and rice by 2018, the minister told reporters at a press briefing.
The fisheries department had organised the press briefing on Jatka Preservation Week 2017 at the citys fisheries building (Matsya Bhaban). The nation will observe the Jatka preservation week between March 11 and 17 with the theme: Wont catch Jatka hilsa, wont harm the country.
The government has undertaken a Tk. 900-crore project to increase the production of hilsa. All the current nets being used for catching hilsa will be burnt if the project is approved, Sayedul Haque said.
He said hilsa is a sensitive fish and its breeding ground is mostly located at the confluence of rivers and ocean waters. After breeding in fresh water, hilsa makes its way to the sea again.
Surveys say about 60 per cent of the worlds hilsa is found in Bangladesh, which, apart from domestic consumption, exports it to India, the Middle East, Europe, and America.
About five lakh people in the coastal areas are directly involved in hilsa fishing. Besides, 2025 lakh people are involved in the trade indirectly by providing transportation, nets, boats, ice, processing, export, and other facilities, the minister said.
The production of Hilsa has increased to 3.95 lakh tonnes in the current fiscal year from the 201516 fiscal year, the minister said, adding that the length of Jatka has been fixed at 2523 cm. The minister said that now, hilsa is being spread to the Padma, Jamuna, Brahmaputra, and Surma.
Besides jatka catching, transportation, marketing, and sale are restricted from November to June each year with an 11-day countrywide ban on its catch in October. The government has increased the amount of food assistance considering the plight of the fishermen during the ban, he said.
The government has assisted 2.36 lakh families in the last eight years under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) card food assistance programme for fishermen. A total of 37,788 tonnes of food were given to 236,176 families in 201516 fiscal year. Each family gets 40kg rice. Besides, various materials are given to 42,615 families as per their demand to create an alternative profession instead of catching jatka, Sayedul Haque said.
Over the last three decades, fisheries, both from natural and pisciculture sources, have thrived significantly, providing low-cost protein to domestic consumers besides creating jobs and earning foreign exchange.
Under the Jatka Preservation, Alternative Employment for Fishermen and Research project, the present government provided alternative jobs to 20,785 jatka fishermen up to the 201213 fiscal year, official sources said.
In 201314, 1,165 fishermen were given support at a cost of Tk. 11,650,000. Besides, 10,559 fishermen are being given alternative jobs involving Tk. 105,590,000 in 201415.
To help the uninterrupted growth of jatka by preventing its illegal catch, the government has provided 35,856.32 tonnes in food aid to 224,102 jatka fishermen families in four months in 201314.
