Govt moves to draft fish farming policy as adviser urges safe production
Professor Dr Md Mostafizur Rahman Mondol, dean of the Fisheries Faculty and convener of the organising committee, presided over the event.
Fisheries Adviser Farida Akhter has urged fish farmers across the country to ensure safe fish production, stressing the need for using safe feed and medicines in aquaculture.
She announced that the government is moving toward formulating a comprehensive fish farming policy to strengthen the sector.
Speaking as the chief guest at the International Fisheries Conference and Exhibition in Rajshahi this afternoon (22 November), the adviser called on farmers to avoid destroying agricultural land and instead utilise fallow land by excavating ponds for fish cultivation. The daylong conference was organized at the Kazi Nazrul Islam Auditorium of Rajshahi University by the university's Department of Fisheries in collaboration with the Rajshahi Commercial Fish Farmers Cooperative Society.
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Farida Akhter highlighted that 40% of the country's total fish demand is met by fish produced in Rajshahi, where carp varieties enjoy significant popularity nationwide. She added that carp from this region also has high demand among Bangladeshi communities living abroad. "As a result, the government is taking steps to promote the export of carp fish," she said.
She said boosting artificial fish cultivation alongside natural production in haors, rivers, canals, and wetlands, warning that natural fish production must not be disrupted under any circumstances.
The conference, themed on establishing stakeholder connectivity for sustainable fish farming and exports, brought together policymakers, researchers, and commercial fish farmers.
Professor Dr Md Mostafizur Rahman Mondol, dean of the Fisheries Faculty and convener of the organising committee, presided over the event.
Rajshahi University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Saleh Hasan Naqib attended as the chief patron, while Pro-Vice Chancellors Professor Dr Mohammad Main Uddin and Professor Dr Md Farid Uddin Khan were present as patrons.
Special guests included Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Abu Tahir Muhammad Jaber, Director General of the Department of Fisheries Dr Md Abdur Rouf, Director General of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute Dr Anuradha Bhadra, and Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner ANM Bazlur Rashid. Member Secretary of the organising committee Dr Akshay Kumar Sarkar also spoke at the event.
