A 58-day government-imposed ban on fishing in the Bay of Bengal will begin from tonight and remain in effect until June 11.
The ban applies to all types of fishing vessels operating in coastal areas, including Bhola and surrounding districts, with the aim of promoting sustainable breeding, conservation, and production of marine fish.
During this period, the government will provide food assistance to affected fishermen. “Each registered sea-going fisherman will receive 78 kilograms of rice,” said Biswajit Kumar Deb, Bhola District Fisheries Officer. He noted that around 65,000 fishermen in Bhola are registered for the support.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock issued the ban under clause (a) of sub-rule (1) of Rule 3 of the Marine Fisheries Rules, 2023. Authorities, including the Coast Guard, Navy, and a task force from the Department of Fisheries, will carry out regular patrols to enforce the restriction.
However, Md Badsha Mia, General Secretary of the Bhola Sadar Ilisha Fisheries Cooperative Society, claimed the actual number of sea-going fishermen in Bhola may exceed 100,000, suggesting that many may not be officially registered.
