Our Correspondent, Barishal :
The government’s 58-day ban on fishing in the Bay of Bengal will end early Thursday (June 12), allowing thousands of fishermen to resume operations after nearly two months.
The ban, imposed by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock from April 15, aimed to support the reproduction, conservation, and sustainable management of marine fish stocks. With the restriction lifted, officials expect a significant increase in the supply of sea fish to local markets, which may help lower prices-especially of popular species like Hilsa.
Since 2015, Bangladesh had enforced a 65-day annual ban from May 20 to July 23. However, following demands from fisheries experts, fishermen, and traders for a revision aligned with India’s policy, the government adjusted the ban to 58 days starting earlier, from April 15 to June 11.
According to the Divisional Fisheries Office, out of 421,093 registered fishermen in the Barishal division, 146,029 are sea-going, operating with a fleet of 7,405 boats.
Alfaz Uddin Sheikh, Director of the Divisional Fisheries Office, confirmed that food relief for 42 days had already been distributed during the ban. “The remaining allocations will be provided once the fishermen return,” he said.
Officials believe that with fishing activity resuming, the market will stabilize, and consumers will benefit from increased availability of marine fish in the coming days.
