Dhaka, October 28, 2026 (V7N) – The 22-day nationwide ban on hilsa fishing will be lifted at midnight Thursday, following its imposition on October 8 in major rivers across 38 districts to protect mother hilsa during their breeding season.
During the ban, catching, transporting, storing, marketing, buying, selling and exchanging hilsa were strictly prohibited under government directives.
The restrictions came as fishermen struggled with poor catches, financial hardship and mounting debt following a disappointing peak hilsa season between July and October this year. Experts have cited water pollution, river siltation and overfishing among the reasons for the decline in hilsa production.
In a circular issued on September 28, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock said each of the 6,47,690 fishing families in 38 districts would receive 25 kg of rice during the ban. The decision was taken on September 15 at a meeting of the National Taskforce Committee on Hilsa Resource Development at the Secretariat to finalise the fishing ban period and implement the Mother Hilsa Conservation Campaign 2026.
The concerned district administrations, Bangladesh Coast Guard and Department of Fisheries worked together to enforce the ban strictly. Additional vessels and logistical support were deployed to key areas as needed.
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku said research must identify the reasons behind the decline in hilsa production. He also stressed the need to curb the production and sale of prohibited fishing nets.
Our Lakshmipur correspondent adds that around 54,000 fishermen in the district are preparing to resume fishing in the Meghna River. District Fisheries Officer Md Jasim Uddin said the enforcement drive had been successful and that fish production was expected to increase compared with last year.
During the first 20 days of the ban, 229 drives and mobile court operations were conducted, leading to the arrest of 150 fishermen. Of them, 73 were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment by mobile courts, while 77 fishermen were fined a total of Tk 1.95 lakh. During the drives, 100 cases were filed, while 4.5 tonnes of hilsa and 20 boats were seized. The confiscated hilsa were later distributed among different orphanages. In addition, 3.7 million metres of current nets were seized during the operations.
From October 8 to October 27, a task force committee led by the Department of Fisheries conducted drives in the Meghna River, from Alexander in Ramgati to Hajimara in Raipur.
With the ban lifting at midnight, fishermen across the 38 districts are expected to return to the rivers, though officials will continue monitoring to ensure sustainable hilsa production in the coming season.
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