National Fisheries Week-2019 is being celebrated from July 17 in the district as elsewhere in the country with the slogan ‘Machh Chashe Garbo Desh, Bangabandhur Bangladesh’.

Marking the week, district administration and department of fisheries chalked out the elaborate programmes that would continue till July 23.

On Thursday morning, a post rally discussion meeting was held at the conference room of deputy commissioner (DC) here with additional deputy commissioner (General) Alamgir Kabir Saikat in the chair.

Whip of the Jatiya Sangshad and local lawmaker Mahabub Ara Begum Gini addressed the meeting as the chief guest and additional police super Anwar Hossain, general secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, district unit, Abu Bakar Siddique were present as the special guests.

Earlier, district fisheries officer Abdud Dayan made a welcome speech in the function mentioning overall scenario of the fisheries department of the district.

Whip Mahabub Ara Begum Gini in her speeches stressed the need for enhancing fish production in the open-water bodies of the country to meet the protein deficiency and changing the socio-economic condition of the fish farmers side by side with creating employment opportunities to the youths.

Fish production had already been increased to a great extent through the best use of existing natural resources in the country during the tenure of the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for taking pragmatic initiatives, she added.

Developing the fisheries resources, which have immense potential, could significantly strengthen the country’s economy and make the nation self-reliant as well, she further added.

Later, whip Gini inaugurated the week in the district and formally distributed crests to four men who played significant role in developing the fisheries sector here as the chief guest.

Earlier, Mayor Advocate Shah Masud Zahangir Kabir Milon released finger lings of carp species fishes on the pond of Gaibandha Municipality in festive mood in the morning marking the week.

A large number of people including district level officials, invited guests, fish farmers, and fishermen, including journalists of print and electronic media participated in the programmes.