Online Desk: The government is going to impose a 22-day prohibition on hilsa fishing from Thursday (October 12) to ensure the safe spawning of the national fish during its peak breeding period. The ban will remain in place till November 2. During this period, the catching, hoarding, selling and transportation of the hilsa will remain prohibited. On September 20, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim announced the 22-day ban at a meeting of the National Task Force Committee on Hilsa Resource Development at the conference room of the Fisheries Department at Matsya Bhaban in Dhaka.

He said the objective of the restrictions on fishing is to protect the mother hilsa which lay eggs during the period. Recognized as a certified patented product of Bangladesh, the fish swim to rivers to lay eggs. Hilsa is very popular both in Bangladesh and West Bengal in India. About 75 percent of the world’s hilsa is netted in Bangladesh. Hilsa makes the highest contribution to the country’s fish output as a single fish species. Chandpur is considered one of the largest trading hubs of hilsa in Bangladesh as the fish from the Padma River is more popular than the ones that come from other rivers because of its distinct taste.