Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter inaugurated the daylong 'Fisheries Entrepreneur Summit-2025' today at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka. Photo: PID

DHAKA, Feb 22, 2025(BSS) - Fisheries and Livestock adviser Farida Akhter today said that the fisheries will lose its basic character if the sector is be made into an industry.

"The growing interest of the youths in the fisheries sector is very encouraging for the nation," she said while inaugurating the daylong 'Fisheries Entrepreneur Summit-2025' at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre here. 

The summit was organized by the Fisheries Department for the sustainable development of the fisheries sector and expediting the advancement of the young entrepreneur. 

Chaired by the Additional Director General (ADG) of the Fisheries Directorate Zia Haider Chowdhury, the function was addressed by the Managing Director of the Bizman Media Limited Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan. Among others, Chairman of Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation Suraiya Akhter Jahan, chief adviser of the Bizman Media Limited Md Abu Bakar Siddique, Chairman of the First Security Islami Bank Abdul Mannan and Chairman of the Islami Bank Bangladesh Obaid Ullah Al Masud joined the discussion.

"We use to say 'we are Bangalee who live on fish and rice'(Machhe Bhate Bangalee) but the new generation is now 'Bangalee who live on poultry and rice", the adviser said, adding" "We have to feed fish to our new generation. We have to feed small fish to our kids."

The fish production of the country is now under threat due to water pollution and siltation of water bodies, Farida Akhter said, expressing her dissatisfaction that the country's rivers are being polluted gradually. 

She urged the concerned departments and authorities to work unitedly for ensuring safe fish production in the country for the welfare of the future generation.