Garbage ruining Bangladesh’s water bodies, says Tarique

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has stressed the importance of protecting canals, rivers and streams to safeguard the country’s fish resources.

He said on Sunday the environment of canals, rivers, streams, Haors and other water bodies was being damaged by waste from everyday products such as tissue paper and plastic bottles.

“If we are truly conscious, if we want to protect our families and, at the same time, if we want to save fish -- as many of you here may be involved in fishing -- we must also take care of our environment,” he said.

He made the remarks at the inauguration of the National Fisheries Festival at the Achmita George Institution Ground in Kishoreganj’s Katiadi. 

The premier also presented the National Fisheries Award to 14 individuals and organisations in 13 categories.

Tarique said many people in Bangladesh were involved in fishing and that protecting the environment was essential to sustaining the sector.

“If we can protect the environment, not only will we be able to live in a healthy environment, but our children will also be able to live in one. Likewise, we will be able to develop our fish, livestock and everything else in a healthy environment,” he said.

Speaking about the nutritional and economic importance of fisheries, he said the entire process of fish farming -- from catching and transporting fish to processing and selling them -- had created jobs for many people. The fisheries sector was also playing an important role in raising the incomes of marginalised communities, he said.

“In riverine Bangladesh, there is an opportunity to become self-sufficient by using ponds, marshes, wetlands and other water bodies, or even a small amount of land for fish farming,” he said.

The government has many such water bodies, wetlands, marshes and ponds across Bangladesh that are lying unused, Tarique said.

“We have decided to renovate them and release fish fry there on behalf of the government. We also want to distribute them among young people in the areas where these ponds, canals and wetlands are located, so that they can find employment,” he said.

Tarique said such prospects could create jobs for many people if the sector was developed in a planned manner, while also generating more foreign exchange.

“Those involved in fish production and distribution undoubtedly know that, through an initiative of the Department of Fisheries, 300 clusters have been formed in the Khulna region and cluster-based shrimp farming has been developed. As a result, production has already more than doubled across an average of 7,500 enclosures,” he said.

Tarique said hilsa was not only Bangladesh’s national fish and an economic asset, but also a recognised geographical indication (GI) product.

“Hilsa accounts for about 10 percent of the country’s total fish production, which is equivalent to more than 1 percent of domestic GDP,” he said.

The Hilsa Fisheries Management Action Plan was formulated during the BNP government in 2003-04, he said, adding that hilsa production had subsequently increased significantly across Bangladesh.

The prime minister said the current government had prioritised the fisheries, livestock and aquatic sectors, noting that millions of people in Bangladesh were engaged in these professions.

“The government is very committed to developing the fisheries sector and improving the livelihoods of fish farmers and fishermen,” he said.

As part of the initiative, fish farmers will be brought under the Farmers Card scheme, a process that has already begun, Tarique said. The government is also continuing the process of issuing identity cards and registering fishermen.

“For the first time, in the 2026-27 financial year, fishermen in the Sundarbans and haor regions have been brought under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme during the fishing ban period,” he said.