The national fisheries week has just been inaugurated in the capital and on the occasion Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked for the revival of the water bodies. Through proper maintenance of the rivers we can have more fishes of varied species. A recent report published in this daily say that the government has already taken the decision to restore all the water bodies including ponds, lakes and beels so that fisheries can be done properly. The aquaculture in this regard will be benefitted greatly through such an initiative.
Meanwhile, the PM has also mentioned about the ‘My House My Farm’ project and stressed on the need for increasing aquaculture at home in the rural areas. This will bring economic solvency to the underprivileged and also play a positive role in increasing the number of fishes in the country. This is based on a personal level which when collectively considered can have a bigger impact on the economy of the country.
This will bring economic solvency
to the underprivileged and also play a
positive role in increasing the
number of fishes in the country
But on a national level, the sorry state of the rivers is a demoralizing factor for any fisherman. The water level of many rivers has become so low that it causes problems in the ecological balance of the area. Since the rainy season is in full bloom the rivers are looking quite livelier but in other times of the year, the water level gets really low. This situation is not at all beneficial for aquaculture to develop on a national level.
Moreover, waste products from factories are being dumped in the rivers without any proper filtration or refining system. The water of Buriganga is evidence to this outcome as waste water from the industries on the river banks are still being dumped in to the river.
As the fisheries sector meets 60 percent of the national demand of protein, water bodies of the country must be redeemed. The authorities concerned should try to give these water bodies their former glory where they would be optimum place for fisheries to increase in future.