22-day ban on catching, selling hilsa from midnight

The government has imposed a 22-day ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting of hilsa from midnight (October 14) to protect safe spawning of the fish during its peak breeding period.

Like every year, fisheries and livestock ministry has taken the initiative to increase production of hilsa, according to Prothom Alo.

The ministry has taken different programmes to help the fishermen during this period, the daily said. 

Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard will strengthen their patrolling at the deep sea and its estuary respectively.

Read more: Govt to impose 22-day ban on catching, selling hilsa from Oct 14

Imams across the country have been asked to give message to the worshipers during sermon after Jummah prayers about the importance of protecting mother hilsa and the punishment for violating the government order, the daily said.

The government imposed the ban in around 7,000 square kilometre area of rivers in 27 districts which were earmarked as the breeding ground of hilsa, according to the fisheries and livestock ministry.

Apart from rivers of those districts, all coastal areas and estuaries will be under the purview of the ban. Drives will be conducted to tackle catching, selling, hoarding and transporting of hilsa.

Shoals of mother hilsa start swimming upstream from the sea towards the river weeks before the full moon in October (Ashwin in Bengali calendar) and they return to the sea after spawning.