In a move to increase the production of the national fish, hilsa, the government has announced a two-month fishing ban in the Padma-Meghna rivers in Chandpur.

The ban from Saturday midnight (March 1), will be effective until April 30, covering a 70 km sanctuary area from Shatnal in Matlab North to Char Bhairavi in Haimchar upazila.

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During this period, nearly 44,000 registered fishermen from the district will be prohibited from fishing for all types of fish in the affected area. The government hopes this initiative will help conserve hilsa fry (jatka) and ultimately boost hilsa production.

District Fisheries Officer Md Golam Mehedi Hasan, said that local task forces in Chandpur and Haimchar will monitor and enforce the fishing ban. He also said that the government had allocated rice as food aid for the fishermen, with each fisherman receiving 40 kg of rice (VGF) for four months.

To raise awareness, the district administration had already conducted meetings, distributed leaflets, and announced the ban through loudspeakers in coastal areas of the Meghna river, including the upazilas of Matlab North, Matlab South, Sadar, and Haimchar, he added.

On-the-ground reports revealed that many fishermen in areas such as Anand Bazaar, Lalpur, Soframali, Kanudi, Bishnupur, Tilabari in the district town, and other local fishing communities have already pulled their boats ashore or stopped fishing for the duration of the ban. However, some fishermen were observed still packing their nets after their routine catch.

Fishermen, including Shahjahan Bepari, Jalal Dewan, Ridoy Hossain, Sakib Majhi, and Rahim Gazi, told UNB that protecting jatka was essential for increasing hilsa production. However, they urged law enforcement agencies to be more vigilant in enforcing the ban, as some unscrupulous fishermen may continue to fish illegally during the night.

Former scientific officer at the Chandpur Fisheries Research Centre and a leading hilsa researcher, Dr Anisur Rahman said hilsa population in the Meghna-Padma rivers had been decreasing due to pollution and excessive sand extraction. He spoke of the need for better water quality and reduced sand mining in order to protect the fish. He said that with cooperation from all stakeholders, the conservation of jatka will lead to increased hilsa production.

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Meanwhile, Chandpur Superintendent of Police Syed Mushfiqur Rahman, assured that the river police will patrol the sanctuary areas day and night to ensure compliance with the ban. He also warned that any violators caught fishing during the restricted period will face legal action.