Fish increasing in haors, rivers | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Wednesday
May 28, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2025
Fish increasing in haors, rivers

Features

Ariful Islam Mithu
17 November, 2019, 03:00 pm
Last modified: 17 November, 2019, 04:49 pm

Related News

  • Are Ghoria, Chandrabati rivers in Bogura really 'missing'?
  • Two-day fish festival kicks off Tuesday at CVASU
  • 'Building OS for borderless life': Lunchbox, Pathao, River founders unite for global fintech transformation
  • Dhaka's Narai River: From majestic waterway to filthy dumping ground
  • Wild waters: A glimpse into the hidden world of Bangladesh’s hillstream fish

Fish increasing in haors, rivers

Government projects for fish reservation by building nurseries and sanctuaries have already proved to help fish production in the country. Machhe-Bhaate Bangali may have good news

Ariful Islam Mithu
17 November, 2019, 03:00 pm
Last modified: 17 November, 2019, 04:49 pm
Fishermen in the country may see better days in future. Photo: Mumit M
Fishermen in the country may see better days in future. Photo: Mumit M

Sitting beside the Ikardia launch terminal road in Kishoreganj, forty-year-old Hori Mohon Das was waiting for selling his fish to local customers. In two hours in the afternoon, he cast his net four times in the Meghna river and caught nearly two kilograms of fish. The tiny and big fishes were still jumping in a small basket.

"This is the first day I cast my net in the river this season. The amount of fish is not bad, my gut feeling is that we will get a good amount this year too," said a smiling Mohon on October 21 this year.

When Hori Mohon Das's fish was on sale, many other fishermen were busy casting and trawling their nets in the Meghna River in search of fish. No one was seen coming back empty-handed. 

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Kishoreganj has the second-highest number of haors in the country, the 97 haors of this district abound with fishes in monsoon seasons.

Photo: Rehman Asad
Photo: Rehman Asad

The seven north-western districts of the country – Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj, Maulvibazar, Netrakona, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria have 373 haors in total. 42 per cent of the total area is wetlands in these seven districts which makes them an ideal area for fish production.

Alongside the commercial fish farming, the amount of fish captured in inland open water including rivers and haors is increasing in the country.

In the 2013-14 fiscal year, the total fish production was 35.48 lakh tonnes. In 2017-18 fiscal year, the total fish production went up by a significant number which was 42.77 lakh tonnes. 

According to the FAO report, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018, Bangladesh ranked third in inland open water capture and fifth in world aquaculture production.

Umme Kulsum Ferdousi, district fisheries officer of the Department of Fisheries told The Business Standard that there are three main reasons behind the increase of fishes in the inland open waters. These are fish fry release program, beel nurseries and sanctuaries.

The government has taken initiatives to release fish fry to increase fish production in the open water bodies. "In the last five years, 3,560 tonnes of fish fry were released in the open water bodies across the country. As a part of the programme, in the last fiscal year, 266 tonnes of fish fry were released in the water bodies," said Ferdousi.

The government has also taken another program called Beel Nursery Program. Under this programme, the agency set up 3,967 beel nurseries across the country. In the dry season, fish fries were kept in craters dug inside a beel and nurtured. As monsoon comes and the water bodies are full, the nurseries are opened to spread the fishes across the entire water body. 

"These initiatives are helping to produce an additional 2,050 tonnes of fish in inland open water bodies across the country," said Ferdousi.

The government has made 432 inland open water sanctuaries for fish production across the country. Of them, six are time-bound sanctuaries for the Hilsha fish. There is a ban on fishing in the other 426 sanctuaries year-round.

"Not only that these sanctuaries are producing more and more fish. They also help to breed indigenous fish in the country," said Umme Kulsum Ferdousi.

Fish increasing in the haors 

The government statistics say that in 2013-14 fiscal year, the amount of fish capture was 73,448 tonnes, and in the 2017-18 fiscal year, the amount stood at 97,119 tonnes. The statistics show a gradual growth in fish production in open water bodies through the years.

Photo: Mumit M
Photo: Mumit M

Bijoya Paul, assistant professor of University of Dhaka, told The Business Standard that the government initiatives including building sanctuaries, beel nurseries, and fry fish releasing are ultimately increasing the fishes in the haors and rivers.

She also said that recently the government has become stricter in protecting fishes across the country, which also has a contribution in fish production.

"Open water fishes are better than the cultured ones. As the tradition goes for fish loving Bengalis, they prefer buying fishes caught in the haors for their taste" said Bijoya Paul.

More fishes in the rivers  

The fish production in the rivers stood at 3,20,598 tonnes in the 2017-2018 fiscal year. In the last five fiscal years, the production went up by 1,53,225 tonnes which is more than double compared to 2013-2014 fiscal year.

Photo: Rehman Asad
Photo: Rehman Asad

Kaniz Fatema, professor at the department of fisheries of the University of Dhaka, said that the production of fish will increase more if the government take projects which boost fish production in the haor areas. "If the government takes initiatives to increase fish in haors, ultimately our indigenous fishes facing extinction will also increase," said Professor Kaniz Fatema.

Infograph / Top News

fish / river

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Leaders and activists of BNP gather at Nayapaltan ahead of the rally of three BNP affiliated organisations on Wednesday, 28 May 2025. Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS
    BNP's youth bodies hold rally in Nayapaltan
  • Inflation, exchange rate shocks to intensify fiscal pressure in FY26
    Inflation, exchange rate shocks to intensify fiscal pressure in FY26
  • Screengrab from Google Maps shows the traffic situation in Motijheel, Paltan, Dainik Bangla Intersection and other Dhaka areas ahead of the BNP rally on Wednesday, 28 May 2025
    BNP, Jamaat rallies: Traffic clog Dhaka roads, including Motijheel, Paltan, Dainik Bangla intersection

MOST VIEWED

  • Selim RF Hussain. Sketch: TBS
    BRAC Bank MD Selim RF Hussain resigns
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Depositors need not worry as govt will take over banks before merger: BB governor
  • Graphics: TBS
    Suspicious banking activities surge by 56% since July: Cenbank
  • Photo: Collected
    DU student assaulted for protesting eve-teasing at Chadni Chowk
  • Illustration: TBS
    Bangladesh sees highest-ever per capita income of $2,820 in FY25, BBS provisional data shows
  • Officials protest inside the Secretariat on Tuesday, 27 May 2025, over a government ordinance amending the Public Service Act, 2018. Photo: Rajib Dhar
    Protest at Secretariat suspended as govt assures decision on ordinance tomorrow

Related News

  • Are Ghoria, Chandrabati rivers in Bogura really 'missing'?
  • Two-day fish festival kicks off Tuesday at CVASU
  • 'Building OS for borderless life': Lunchbox, Pathao, River founders unite for global fintech transformation
  • Dhaka's Narai River: From majestic waterway to filthy dumping ground
  • Wild waters: A glimpse into the hidden world of Bangladesh’s hillstream fish

Features

In recent years, the Gor-e-Shaheed Eidgah has emerged as a strong contender for the crown of the biggest Eid congregation in the country, having hosted 600,000 worshippers in 2017. Photo: TBS

Gor-e-Shaheed Boro Maath: The heart of Dinajpur

1d | Panorama
The Hili Land Port, officially opened in 1997 but with trade roots stretching back to before Partition, has grown into a cornerstone of bilateral commerce.

Dhaka-Delhi tensions ripple across Hili’s markets and livelihoods

2d | Panorama
Photo: Collected

Desk goals: Affordable ways to elevate your study setup

2d | Brands
Built on a diamond-type frame, the Hornet 2.0 is agile but grounded. PHOTO: Asif Chowdhury

Honda Hornet 2.0: Same spirit, upgraded sting

2d | Wheels

More Videos from TBS

UCB aims to grow deposits by Tk12,000 crore this year

UCB aims to grow deposits by Tk12,000 crore this year

10m | TBS Programs
What did Jamaat leader ATM Azhar say after being released from prison?

What did Jamaat leader ATM Azhar say after being released from prison?

1h | TBS Today
How can we protect Dhaka’s rivers and canals from plastic waste?

How can we protect Dhaka’s rivers and canals from plastic waste?

3h | TBS Programs
Jamaat leader ATM Azhar released from prison after 13 years

Jamaat leader ATM Azhar released from prison after 13 years

3h | TBS Today
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net