Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim has stated, “In the last 15 years, fish production in the country has increased by 82 percent. This is remarkable. There was a time when fish scarcity was a concern, and it was said that fish could not be found. Now, various local species of fish that were almost extinct can be found everywhere. We have achieved self-sufficiency in fish production in the fiscal year 2016-17.”
Speaking at the publication ceremony of ‘FLF Voice,’ a journal by the Fisheries and Livestock Journalists Forum (FLJF), held at the ministry’s conference room on Wednesday morning, the minister made these remarks as the chief guest.
The Minister stated, “In the latest fiscal year 2022-23, the total fish production in the country has reached 4.915 million metric tons, which is about 82 percent more than the total production in the fiscal year 2008-09. Bangladesh has also received international recognition in fish production. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report, Bangladesh ranks third globally in freshwater fish production, fifth in fish farming, and first in Hilsa capture.”
He said, “The fisheries sector plays a crucial role in alleviating the country’s food crisis. The addition of fish and animal protein comes from this sector. Foreign currency is also earned from this sector. Bangladesh’s fish is exported to 52 countries worldwide. There is also a lot of potential for exporting meat from Bangladesh, as there is a high demand for Bangladeshi meat abroad. Therefore, we have established disease-free zones for cattle to facilitate the process of meat export. We have also set up the Joint Monitoring Center in Chittagong for robust monitoring, control, and surveillance in the maritime fisheries.”
Reflecting on the achievements in the sector, the minister said, “The country has achieved self-sufficiency in meat, fish, and eggs. The quantity of dairy, meat, and egg production has increased about five times, seven times, and four times, respectively, in the past 15 years.”
SM Rezaul Karim added, “There was no law for the management of aviaries in the country. Recently, with the passage of the Aviary Law in parliament, the legal foundation for aviaries in the country has been established. There was no Dairy Development Board for dairy farms in the country. Keeping this in mind, the government has recently passed the Dairy Development Board Act with the aim of forming the Dairy Development Board.”
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock A.T.M. Mofizul Islam and M. Abdul Kaiyum, Joint Secretary and Secretary-in-Charge of the Minister, Dr. Abu Naim Muhammad Abdullah Choudhury, Director General of the Department of Fisheries K. Mahbubul Haque, Director General of the Department of Livestock Dr. Md. Emdadul Haque Talukder, President of the Fisheries and Livestock Journalists Forum M. A. Jalil Muna, and General Editor Tarikul Islam Sumon, along with other members of the forum, were present at the event.
