A Correspondent:
Kotiadi, Kishoreganj: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called upon entrepreneurs to make optimum use of the country’s vast water resources to expand fisheries production, create em-ployment for unemployed youths and explore new overseas markets to boost export earnings.
“Many rivers, canals, beels, ponds and haors across the country remain underutilized. The gov-ernment is taking steps to restore these water bodies and release fish fry in them. Unemployed youths in the respective areas will be given opportunities to utilize these water bodies, enabling them to create employment and become self-reliant,” he said.
The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the National Fisheries Fortnight-2026 at Kotiadi yesterday afternoon.
As part of the program, the Prime Minister presented National Fisheries Awards (gold medals) to 14 individuals and organizations in 13 categories in recognition of their contributions to the fisheries sector.
The theme of this year’s National Fisheries Fortnight is ‘A self-reliant nation through silver fish, Bangladesh first’.
Calling for protection of the environment of haors and other water bodies to conserve the coun-try’s fisheries resources, Tarique Rahman said a significant number of water bodies in Bangla-desh are in one way or another connected with fisheries and, therefore, environmental protec-tion was essential for sustaining fish production.
“If we want to save fish, we also have to pay attention to protecting the environment. We have to protect our environment,” he said.
He said protecting nature would ensure a healthy living environment for people and future gen-erations, while also creating favorable conditions for the sustainable development of fisheries and livestock.
The Prime Minister warned that indiscriminate disposal of waste, including tissue paper and plastic water bottles, was gradually damaging the environment of canals, rivers, beels, haors and other water bodies.
“If we want to protect our families, fish, water and the environment, everyone must become aware and play a role in preventing environmental pollution,” he said.
Highlighting the contribution of the fisheries sector to the economy, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh earned more than Tk 6,000 crore in foreign exchange by exporting fish and fisheries products to around 52 countries in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Highlighting various government measures to protect fishermen and fish farmers, the Prime Minister said around 2 crore people in the country currently depend directly or indirectly on the fisheries sector.
He said, “Providing Farmer Cards to fish farmers, as well as the registration of fishermen and issuance of identity cards, are currently underway.
“Besides, for the first time, fishermen in the Sundarbans and haor regions have been brought under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) program during fishing bans in the 2026-27 fiscal year,” he added.
The Prime Minister said the fisheries and livestock sectors could play a transformative role in improving the fortunes of Bangladesh and called upon entrepreneurs and businesses to explore new overseas markets for local products.
“For the first time in the country’s history, hatching eggs were exported to Nigeria last June. I sincerely urge entrepreneurs and businesspeople to explore new markets abroad for new prod-ucts. The government will provide the highest possible support in this regard,” he said.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid chaired the programme, while State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku, State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam, Kishoreganj-2 lawmaker Jalal Uddin, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Delwar Hossain and Department of Fisheries Director General Md Khaled Kanak, among others, spoke.
After the National Fisheries Fortnight programme, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a tree plantation programme at Sholakia Ground and a Family Card distribution programme at Kishoreganj Stadium.
