A 22-day ban on catching hilsa fishing began across the country on Thursday midnight.

To ensure the safe spawning of the national fish of Bangladesh during its peak breeding period, the government has imposed the ban in the Padma-Meghna sanctuary.

The ban will remain in place till November 2.

Fishermen will not be allowed to catch fish in the Padma-Meghna sanctuary from Shatnal in Matlab Uttar to Char Bhairabi in Haimchar upazila of Chandpur district.

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Local administration has provided 25 kg of rice to each fisherman during the hilsa fishing ban and distribution of rice has begun in different parts of the district.

The local administrations also held an awareness programme in the coastal areas of the district.

Fishermen were seen passing an idle time and some were seen repairing their nets.

Golam Mehedi Hasan, district fisheries officer, said the rice distribution programme among 43,772 registered fishermen will end within one or two days.

During this period, the taskforce will conduct drives round the clock to check violation of the ban while the mobile court will conduct drives alongside it.

Demand for salted hilsa up in north Bangladesh

He also hoped that the implementation of the programme will play a role in increasing the production of hilsa.

Meanwhile, Chandpur Deputy Commissioner Quamrul Hasan said the taskforce committee will strictly perform their duties and temporary camps will be set up in Matlab North, Sadar and Haimchar upazilas of the district.

22-day ban on hilsa fishing to begin on Oct 12: Fisheries Minister