A ban on catching jatka, or juvenile hilsa, in the sea and rivers will come into force from midnight tonight (Saturday) and remain in effect until June 30, 2027, in a bid to boost hilsa stocks in the long term and ensure its sustainable conservation.

Catching, transporting, marketing, buying, selling and storing hilsa measuring less than 25 centimetres will be completely prohibited under the terms of the ban, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock said in a message issued this evening.

The Department of Fisheries will implement the ban.

It said the "Mother Hilsa Conservation Drive-2026" was carried out from October 8 to 29 during the peak breeding season to protect brood hilsa.

According to the ministry, hilsa fry hatched from eggs released by roe-bearing hilsa remain in the country's coastal rivers and estuaries until they are five to eight months old.

Protecting the fry during this period is essential to increase hilsa production and ensure its sustainability, it said.

The ministry added that if the fry can grow safely, the country's hilsa production will rise further in the future.

Anyone violating the ban will face up to two years' rigorous imprisonment, a fine of up to Tk 5 lakh, or both, under the Fisheries Protection and Conservation (Amendment) Ordinance and the Fisheries Protection and Conservation Rules, the ministry warned.

The Department of Fisheries will enforce the ban strictly across the country with support from district and upazila administrations, the Navy, the Coast Guard, the River Police, the Special Response Battalion (SRB) and local law enforcement agencies.