United News of Bangladesh

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has said that the government has not approved indoor or artificial hilsa farming, clarifying that no such initiative has received official clearance so far. In a press release issued on Monday, the ministry said it has seriously reviewed the issue amid recent discussions and reports published in newspapers, online media and social media regarding indoor or artificial cultivation of hilsa. The ministry said a meeting on indoor, fully controlled and intensive cultivation of hilsa and other marine fish using the Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) technology was held at the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock on Sunday (February 1). The meeting was chaired by Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar, and attended by senior officials of the ministry, the Department of Fisheries and the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute. Home Ministry forms law and order coordination cell ahead of polls The review found that hilsa is an important Geographical Indication (GI) product of Bangladesh and is closely linked to the country’s riverine and coastal ecosystems, food security, heritage and the livelihoods of a large number of fishermen. As hilsa production and management largely depend on the natural reproductive cycle and riverine environment, any initiative related to its cultivation is highly sensitive and policy-driven, the ministry said. It added that there is currently no government policy decision or approval regarding RAS or any other indoor, fully controlled or intensive method of hilsa farming. As such, no individual or institution has been granted permission to cultivate hilsa using these methods. The ministry said any research, experimental initiative or technical activity related to hilsa must be conducted in line with existing laws, policies and national interests, and subject to prior approval from the relevant government authorities. Any unauthorised activity will be considered unacceptable. The ministry also urged all concerned, including the public, to rely on government-approved and credible information and not to be misled by misinformation or rumours.

Bangladesh has exported 532 metric tonnes of hilsa to India in 11 days till Saturday night on the occasion of Durga Puja against this year’s export approval for 2420 mts. The government had permitted 49 companies to export 2,420 mts of hilsa during this period, but the actual quantity export between September 26 and October 12 was significantly lower. A total of 3.6 mts of hilsa was exported to India through Benapole land port until 10 pm on Saturday, the last day of this year’s export as the fishing window closed due to the government restriction ahead of the start of the breeding season. A 22-day ban on hilsa netting, hoarding and transportation was imposed from Saturday midnight . A total of 168 trucks carried the hilsa from Bangladesh’s Benapole port to India’s Petrapole port during the 11-day period. Hilsha selling like hot cake in wholesale market Each kilogram of hilsa was sold at $10, equivalent to approximately Tk 1,180. In total, the exports generated $532,000, or around Tk 6.28 crore. Despite the lower than expected exports, domestic prices of hilsa have continued to rise. On Saturday, hilsa weighing less than a kilogram was being sold at Tk 1,300 per kg in the Benapole market, while larger fish were selling between Tk 1,800 and Tk 2,000 per kg. In contrast, the same size hilsa exported to India is being sold at a price range of Tk 600 to Tk 800 per kg, raising concerns about price discrepancies between domestic and export markets. Aswadul Islam, Inspector of Fisheries Inspection and Quality Control at the Benapole Land Port, acknowledged the gap between export and domestic prices. He said the export rules had been set a few years ago and suggested that a price adjustment might be considered to address the disparity. According to the Department of Fisheries, Bangladesh exported 665 mts of hilsa in the 2023-24 fiscal year, significantly below the permitted 2,420 mts. Previous years also saw missed targets, with 477 mts exported in FY 2019-20, 1,880 mts in FY 2020-21, 1,211 mts in FY 2021-22, and 1,376 mts in FY 2022-23. 

A mobile court sentenced four people to a year's rigorous imprisonment each for catching Hilsha during a 22-day ban period in Hizla upazila of Barishal on Friday. Besides, the court released two minor boys, detained with the four, to their guardians after taking a bond in this connection. The convicts Saiful Mollick, 30, Nazmul Sikdar, 25, Nurul Islam Talukdar, 27, and Kawsar Mollah, 25, are residents of different areas of the upazila. Bikash Chandra Dey, in-charge of Hizla River Police Unit, said they conducted a drive in association with fishery officer and members of Coast Guard (CG) and detained six people for fishing Hilsha during a ban period from a distributary of the Meghna River in the early morning. Besides, a 5,000 metre fishing net was also seized during the drive, he said. Read: 4 fishermen jailed, 14 fined in Laxmipur for violating ban Later, the mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Mohammad Tarek Hawlader sentenced the four fishermen to one year of rigorous imprisonment each. Mentionable, the government imposed a 22-day ban, on fishing Hilsa, selling and transporting, staring from October 7 it will remain in place till October 28. 

A two month government ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting of hilsa will come into effect from March 1 with a view to boost its production. The ban will be lifted on May1, said a handout on Monday. The ban covers hilsa sanctuaries in six districts-Barishal, Chandpur, Laxmipur, Bhola, Shariatpur and Patuakhali districts. The sanctuaries are- 100 km in the Meghna River from Chandpur’s Shatnol to Laxmipur’s Char Alaxandar, 90km in Shahbazpur Channel in Bhola, 100 km in Tentulia River in Bhola, 20 km in Naria and Bhederganj upazila in Chandpur district and 82 km in Hizla, Mehendiganj and Barishal Sadar upazila, Gazaria and Meghna river. Also read: 165 fishermen jailed for defying hilsha ban Hilsa has the highest contribution in the country's fish production as the single fish specie. Every year, the government imposes a two-month ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting hilsa to boost its production. During this period, catching, selling, hoarding and transporting hilsa will be considered as an offence and those who will violate the ban will get a minimum one year to two years jail or  be fined Tk 5,000. Also read: Hilsha selling like hot cake in wholesale market The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has already allocated 80 kgs of rice for the registered fishermen during this ban period.

Borguna, October 1 (UNB) – A Hilsa Festival is going to be held in Barguna for the first time on Wednesday amid much festivity and enthusiasm.

Chandpur, Sept 7 (UNB) – Everyone has weakness for tasty hilsha and if it is the hilsha of Padma, then no question arises about people’s eagerness to have it.