BSS, Rangpur :
Speakers at a fingerling release ceremony have stressed on boosting fish production through proper utilisation of all existing water bodies to cut poverty for attaining self-reliance and meeting nutritional demand.
They were addressing the ceremony organised by Bhurungamari Upazila Fisheries Department on upazila parishad premises in Kurigram district on Monday to release 80 kilogram carp variety fish fries into the upazila parishad pond and degree college pond.
Later, Bhurungamari upazila chairman Nurunnabi Chowdhury and Upazila Nirbahi Officer AGM Ersad Hossain Habib released 40 kilogram fish fries each of the ponds.
The fish fries were released under a comprehensive programme of releasing fingerlings by the Upazila Fisheries Department to the water bodies including flood plains, submerged rice fields, ponds and ‘beels’ in the upazila for boosting fish production.
District Fisheries Officer of Kurigram Dr Zillur Rahman, Bhurungamari Upazila Fisheries Officer Abdur Rahman Khan, Upazila Agriculture Officer Mohammad Samsuzzaman and local Press Club President Dr Abdul Jalil Sarker were present.
Speakers said the government has been distributing free fish fries among fishermen and farmers through different departments and organisations to enhance fish production for improving rural livelihoods through eradicating poverty.
They put special emphasis on bringing all water bodies, ponds, tinny water bodies, flood plains, ‘beels’, ‘haors’ and flood plains under fish cultivation using the latest technologies ensuring best use of all existing natural resources.
Narrating prospect of the fisheries sector, they called for boosting fish production side by side with protecting natural breeding grounds, stopping catch of smaller fishes to preserve extinct and indigenous fish species to achieve self-reliance by the rural people.
