Govt provides assistance to fishermen as hilsa ban starts

The government has started to provide food assistance among the fishermen families under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme in three upazilas of Manikganj district aiming to help them overcome food crisis during the Hilsa ban period.

Under the programme, a total of 8000 poor fishermen families residing in Harirampur, Shibalaya and Daulatpur upazilas of the district will be given 20 Kgs of rice each as food assistance.

District Fisheries Officer Saifur Rahman said the VGF rice will be distributed among the listed fishermen

families in three upazilas of the district with the assistance of district administration.

According to sources, the government has imposed a 22-day ban on catching, selling, hoarding, and transporting of ilish or hilsa, which will come into effect from October 4 to protect hilsa with eggs. The ban will be effective until October 25.