Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged the new generation to come forward for establishing fish processing industries, aiming to increase the number of export items and earn foreign exchange.
‘We can process the fish or we can produce various types of products from fish and export those to any country in the world. I think that the new generation will come forward further to set up such industries that will create employment opportunities for them and reduce unemployment,’ she said.
The prime minister said this while formally inaugurating the National Fisheries Week 2022 with the theme ‘Nirapad Machhea Vorbo Desh, Bangabandhur Bangladesh (The country will be filled with safe fish, Bangabandhu’s Bangladesh)’.
The programme was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre where the prime minister joined virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.
This year’s Fisheries Week will be celebrated between July 23-29.
Sheikh Hasina said that setting up fish processing industries will also be beneficial for the country to meet the local demand.
‘I believe that by this way we will be able to advance our country further,’ she said.
She urged all to remain alert regarding catching shrimp fry using net in various coastal areas including Cox’s Bazar and Kuakata as this method destroys many varieties of fish fry.
The prime minister put emphasis on utilising Haor areas of the country for fish production.
‘Haor areas of the country have immense potential not only in producing rice but also fish. For that purpose we have set up fish landing stations in various parts of various haors across the country,’ she said.
She mentioned that the government has built a fish landing station in Netrokona while work is going on to build fish landing stations in Sunamganj, Kishoreganj and Sylhet.
Fisheries and livestock minister SM Rezaul Karim, agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque and Fisheries and Livestock secretary Muhammad Yamin Chowdhury also spoke at the programme.
Earlier, on behalf of the prime minister, agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque Handed over the National Fisheries Award among the recipients.
A documentary on the development of fishery sector was also screened at the programme.
