A two-month ban on catching, selling and transportation of all types of fish from the Padma and Meghna rivers began on Wednesday to ensure safe spawning and protect fish resources. The ban will remain in force till April 30. Contacted, the District Fisheries officer Shafiqur Rahman said the ban covers an area of 100 km from Shatnol under Matlab North upazila up to Char Alexander in Laxmipur district via Sadar and Haimchar upazilas of the district. Meanwhile, the Department of Fisheries has already conducted a massive campaign, including pasting posters and hanging banners, and is holding discussions with fishermen and the authorities concerned to make the ban fruitful.
The government has taken an initiative to allocate rice among the fishermen who remain jobless during the period. This year, there are 41,189 registered and cardholding fishermen in Sadar, Haimchar and Matlab North upazilas of the district. Each fisherman will get 40 kg of rice per month per head during this ban period for their survival, Shafiqur said. A requisition for allocating 6,590.24 tonnes of rice was sent to the higher authorities, he said. Deputy Commissioner of Chandpur Abdus Sabur Mandal said legal actions will be taken against those who will catch fish defying the ban.