Dhaka, Broadcasting News Corporation: Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter called for an end to the practice of creating shrimp farms by cutting down mangrove forests. She stated that mangrove forests are essential for the protection of the coastal environment.
The adviser made these remarks while addressing a policy dialogue titled ‘Transforming Policy Support for Reviving Bangladesh’s Shrimp Sector’, organized by the Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) and the Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh (PRI) at the Hotel Intercontinental in Dhaka on Wednesday (3 December 2025 AD), where she was the chief guest.
The adviser mentioned that various allegations, including the use of jelly in shrimp, have contracted our exports in the international market, which is a major loss for the country. She added that accurate policy formulation is not possible without collecting real-world data from the field and understanding ground realities.
Expressing concern over the stock of marine fish, the adviser said that illegal, unregulated, and excessive harvesting has led to a 78 per cent decline in fish stock in the sea over the last seven years, which is extremely alarming.
Regarding discrimination in electricity bills in the fisheries sector, she further stated that the fisheries and livestock sector, which is a food producer, has to pay electricity bills at rates similar to the industrial category, which is discriminatory. The government is working to solve this problem, and it is hoped that a 20 per cent discount on electricity bills will be available soon. To reduce interest rates and increase investment, she informed that a proposal has been submitted to the Governor of the Bangladesh Bank for the establishment of a specialized fisheries and livestock bank. She also commented that Bangladesh will advance further if emphasis is placed on technology, skill development, and eco-friendly farming practices.