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. Hilsa price high due to profit-mongers’ greed: Fisheries Minister 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  

The government has imposed a 65-day ban on fishing off the Bay of Bengal to try and preserve the fish stock and boost their breeding.  The ban – lasting from May 20 until July 23 – is timed to occur with the breeding season. All types of fishing vessels will be covered by the restriction. Also read: Bay fishing ban made 70pc fishermen jobless: COAST The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock issued a notification in this connection on April 13 considering the breeding of sea fishes and their conservation. Also read: 12 fishermen jailed for violating hilsa fishing ban Fishing in all coastal countries across the remain prohibited for two to three months during the breeding season as it is essential to ensure a safe environment for mother fishes during this time.

More than 5,000 fishermen were jailed and illegal nets worth Tk243 crore were seized during the 22-day Hilsa fishing ban.

Twelve fishermen were jailed for various terms in Chandpur on Tuesday for catching hilsa flouting the ongoing fishing ban.

The government has allocated 10,566.84 tonnes of VGF rice for fishermen during the upcoming hilsa fishing ban from Oct 14 to Nov 4.

Two UP chairman and members were suspended on Tuesday on charge of embezzling rice.