In the midst of the most significant economic slowdown in decades, the fisheries sector in coastal district Jashore proved a mainstay for the economy in the 2020-21 fiscal, that helped Bangladesh avoid recession or even contraction. Bangladesh’s GDP growth fell from 8.2% in the 2019-20 fiscal to just 3.8% in 2020-21 – theslowest annual growth in the country’s GDP in 30 years. That represents a slump in economic activity that would have been unacceptable in normal times. But in a year blighted by the virus where we saw most countries experience contraction in their economies (negative growth), Bangladesh’s 3.8% was the fifth-highest GDP growth rate in the world. Read Hilsa Ilisha: The National Fish and Silver Pride of Bangladesh The economic downturn brought on by the pandemic affected almost every sector in the country. The impact was pervasive yet uneven. This was the general picture reflected in most economies around the world. For the record, the world economy did fall into recession in 2020, with the IMF's final assessment estimating it shrank 3.3%. The fisheries sector emerged as one of the major pillars holding up the economy and helping Bangladesh to avoid a recession. Technically, a country’s economy enters recession once it experiences two successive quarters of negative growth, or contraction. To get out of a recession then requires two successive quarters of growth back. Read: Hilsa prices rise as catch from the Padma dries up  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged the youths to take up fish farming as their livelihood to exploit the huge scope of employment in this sector."There is a huge opportunity of employment in the sector and this should be utilised," she said in a pre-recorded video message to the 18th founding anniversary programme of Awami Matsyajibi League here. "We have taken measures to improve fish production through expansion of pisciculture and research," she said. Also read: PM Hasina for harnessing potential of youths Reiterating her government’s goal of making Bangladesh economically self-sufficient, the prime minster said the country will march ahead following the ideals and principles of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."On the 50th anniversary of our Independence and birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman our pledge will be to make the country developed and prosperous,” she said. “We will build Golden Bangladesh of the Father of the Nation," she said.Hasina said the government is providing training to the youths on fish farming to they can make the country more advanced in fish production. She said that Karmasangthan Bank is providing collateral free loan to the youths so that they can stand on their own feet.Hasina said instead of running after office jobs on completion of studies the educated young people can engage in fish production as a means of their livelihood.She said that the government is establishing 100 economic zones across the country where food processing industries can be set up to create opportunities for marketing.In this regard she asked Awami Matsyajibi League leaders to strengthen its organisational capacity to supplement government's effort to increase fish production. Also read: Developing Bangladesh: PM says the glory came through strugglesShe said  in 1996,  the Awami League government made the country self-sufficient in food-grains production and after forming the government in 2009 it focused on increasing nutrition along with the food. In this connection she said that the per capita fish consumption at the country is now 62 grams.She said that due to the government's initiative to ensure nutrition, the citizens no longer suffer from malnutrition. The Prime Minister said that to increase the fish production further, which is now around 50 lakh metric tonnes a year, the government is renovating the ponds, excavating canals, beels and rivers. She also said that the government has taken up special measures to improve Hilsha production, in which Bangladesh is number one now."To stop Hilsha catching during the breeding season the government is distributing free food among the fishermen (temporarily jobless)," she said.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim on Saturday said the government seeks to promote fish farming in cages, known as  cage culture, in the country. “We’re promoting fish farming in cages acros