The Land Ministry has initiated the transfer of 779 water bodies (ponds) (Jal-Mahal) in Sirajganj and Pabna districts to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock to enhance fish production.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two ministries in accordance with the Jal-Mahal Management Policy, 2009, at the secretariat on Tuesday, according to a press release.
Land Ministry Joint Secretary Delwar Hossain Matubbar and Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Joint Secretary Mohammad Anwar Hossain signed the MoU on behalf of their respective ministries.
Additional Secretary of the Land Ministry, Md Abbas Uddin, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Md Abdul Qayyum, and officials from both ministries were present at the time.
The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will take steps to increase fish productivity through scientific methods by renovating these ponds. The Fisheries Department will also provide training to fish cultivators under local cooperative societies.
These activities will be implemented through a project titled "Community-based Fisheries Resource Management in Nimgachi Area."
More than 39,000 water bodies under the Land Ministry collect over Tk 100 crore annually through leases, with the fish and other aquatic animals harvested meeting the country's protein needs. A significant number of people depend on these water bodies.
