Experts at a function on Wednesday stressed enhancing fish production to meet nutrition alongside improving economic conditions and living standards.
They viewed this at the function arranged by Pirgachha Upazila Fisheries Department on the upazila parishad premises in the district for releasing 370 kilograms of fish fries in 12 ponds and water bodies across the upazila.
The function was arranged with the participation of fish farmers, hatchery owners and government officials abiding by the health directives to prevent community transmission of the Covid-19 infection.
Pirgachha Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sheikh Shamsul Arefin inaugurated the program by releasing fingerlings in a government pond in the upazila as the chief guest with Upazila Fisheries Officer Md. Hakibur Rahman in the chair.
Assistant Director of the Department of Fisheries at District Fisheries Office Sunny Khan Majlish, its Fisheries Survey Officer Md Rezaul Karim, Agriculture Extension Officer Ashrafuzzaman and Assistant Fisheries Officer Bulbul Ahmed addressed the event as special guests.
In his welcome speech, Hakibur Rahman said Bangladesh has already achieved self-sufficiency in fish and continues increasing its production to the tune of one lakh tonnes on an average annually in recent years.
Sunny Khan Majlish said the government is implementing inclusive programmes for expanding fish cultivation in rural areas and providing assistance to fishermen, fish farmers and private sector entrepreneurs to further increase fish production.
The chief guest called upon rural people to enhance fish production alongside protecting natural breeding grounds, and stop catching small fish to preserve indigenous fish species to achieve self-reliance by cutting poverty. "The field level fisheries officials are transferring the latest technologies to farmers for ensuring the best utilization of water bodies and enhancing fish farming to change their economic conditions," he said.
