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KISHOREGANJ: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday urged entrepreneurs to make optimum use of Bangladesh’s vast water resources to increase fisheries production, create jobs for unemployed youths and explore new international markets for fish and fisheries products.
“Many rivers, canals, beels, ponds and haors across the country remain underutilised. The government is taking steps to restore these water bodies and release fish fry in them. Unemployed youths in the respective areas will be given opportunities to utilise these water bodies, enabling them to create employment and become self-reliant,” he said.
The Prime Minister made the remarks while inaugurating National Fisheries Fortnight-2026 at the mini-stadium of Achimita George Institute in Katiadi this afternoon.
As part of the programme, he presented National Fisheries Awards, including gold medals, to 14 individuals and organisations in 13 categories in recognition of their contributions to the fisheries sector.
The theme of this year’s fisheries fortnight is “A self-reliant nation through silver fish, Bangladesh first.”
Focus on environment
Calling for stronger protection of haors and other water bodies, Tarique Rahman said environmental conservation was essential for sustaining the country’s fisheries resources.
“A significant number of water bodies in Bangladesh are in one way or another connected with fisheries. If we want to save fish, we also have to pay attention to protecting the environment,” he said.
He said protecting nature would help ensure a healthy living environment for present and future generations while creating favourable conditions for the sustainable development of fisheries and livestock.
The Prime Minister warned that indiscriminate disposal of waste, including tissue paper and plastic bottles, was increasingly polluting rivers, canals, beels, haors and other water bodies.
“If we want to protect our families, fish, water and the environment, everyone must become aware and play a role in preventing environmental pollution,” he said.
Tk 6,000cr earned from fisheries exports
Highlighting the sector’s contribution to the economy, Tarique Rahman said Bangladesh earned more than Tk 6,000 crore in foreign exchange by exporting fish and fisheries products to around 52 countries in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Citing a recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), he said Bangladesh ranked fifth globally in total aquatic animal production and second in fish production from inland open-water bodies.
He said the government had undertaken several modern and transformative initiatives to increase production and improve the fisheries value chain.
Production has already increased in 7,500 shrimp enclosures through the formation of 300 clusters in the Khulna region, he said.
A master plan is also being implemented and infrastructure development is underway for the “Shrimp City” project on 7,000 acres of land in Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar, he added.
Focus on hilsa and fishers
The Prime Minister said hilsa accounts for around 10 percent of Bangladesh’s total fish production and contributes more than one percent to the national GDP.
He attributed a significant increase in hilsa production to the introduction of the Hilsa Fisheries Management Action Plan during the previous BNP government.
Tarique Rahman said around 2 crore people currently depend directly or indirectly on the fisheries sector for their livelihoods.
He said the government was providing Farmer Cards to fish farmers while registration of fishers and issuance of identity cards were also underway.
“For the first time, fishermen in the Sundarbans and haor regions have been brought under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme during fishing bans in the 2026-27 fiscal year,” he said.
Calls for new export markets
The Prime Minister also urged entrepreneurs and businesses to look beyond traditional markets and develop new export destinations for Bangladeshi fisheries and livestock products.
He said the government’s Tk 500 crore Startup Fund had been established to promote technology-driven employment, research and innovation and help build a knowledge-based economy.
“Under this fund, grants ranging from Tk 5 lakh to Tk 5 crore will be provided to promising startups, industrial entrepreneurs and those seeking to establish new ventures,” he said, urging young entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunity.
Tarique Rahman said the fisheries and livestock sectors could play a transformative role in Bangladesh’s economic development.
“For the first time in the country’s history, hatching eggs were exported to Nigeria last June,” he said, urging entrepreneurs to explore new overseas markets for new products.
“The government will provide the highest possible support in this regard,” he added.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid chaired the programme, while State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku, State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Shariful Alam, Kishoreganj-2 lawmaker Jalal Uddin, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Delwar Hossain and Department of Fisheries Director General Md Khaled Kanak, among others, addressed the event.
After the fisheries fortnight inauguration, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a tree plantation programme at Sholakia Ground and a Family Card distribution programme at Kishoreganj Stadium.