Live Correspondent: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the government has already taken decision to revivify water bodies across the country aimed at boosting fish production.

“We have already taken decision to bring back all of our water bodies such as pond, khal (canal) and beel to its earlier position to increase the production of fisheries,” she said while inaugurating the ‘National Fisheries Week-2019’ at Krishibid Institute of Bangladesh (KIB) here.

The government has already given instruction to the authorities concerned to take prompt measures to this end, she said. Calling upon all not to keep any water body unused, the premier said the government has taken ‘My House My Farm’ project to meet the demand of fish as well as bring financial solvency.

In this context, she recalled the contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to fisheries sector as he encouraged the people in fish production after releasing the fish fries in the lake of Ganabhaban.

Bangabandhu then mentioned fish as a potential export product along with jute, leather and tea, the premier remembered.

She also stressed on pisciculture to meet the national demand for protein.

“We have to increase fish production for our socio-economic growth,” she said.

The Prime Minister said she believes that fish can become Bangladesh’s main export item if the country ensures a sustainable use of its aquatic resources and wetlands.

The premier said livelihood of 11 percent people are now directly or indirectly related to fisheries sector while contribution of the sector to the country’s GDP is 3.61 percent and 60 percent of the animal protein comes from fish.

Dhaka 18 July (campuslive24.com)//MIH