A two-month ban on catching 'jatka' (hilsa fry less than 9 inches or 23 centimetres in length) from March 1 to April 30 will begin in five hilsa sanctuaries across the country on Tuesday midnight. To increase the production of hilsa, the government has imposed the ban in the Padma-Meghna sanctuary under Chandpur, Shariatpur, Laxmipur, Barishal and Bhola districts, said Golam Mehedi, Chandpur district fisheries officer. Seventy kilometers sanctuary of Meghna in Sadar, Haimchar, Matlab North and Matlab South upazilas of the district is also under the restriction. Besides, the government will provide 40 kgs of rice to 44,035 fishermen during the period, he said. District taskforce committee has taken all necessary steps to stop netting jatka.