Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter has stated that with the fishing ban now synchronized with neighboring India from April 15, no other country will be allowed to fish and exploit Bangladesh’s maritime resources.

She made this remark on Thursday afternoon after inaugurating the construction work of the modernization project of the BFDC Fish Landing and Wholesale Fish Market in Cox’s Bazar.

The adviser said, “Fishermen have long complained that during Bangladesh's fishing ban, other countries continued fishing in our waters as they had no restrictions. Based on these concerns and subsequent research by a team of fisheries experts, the new timeframe for the ban has been determined.”

The modernization project of the BFDC Fish Landing and Wholesale Market in Cox’s Bazar will cost BDT 2.33 billion (Tk 232.83 crore), of which JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) is contributing BDT 1.72 billion (Tk 172.31 crore). The project aims to create a better working environment for fishers, reduce landing time, and increase the supply of high-quality marine fish while minimizing post-harvest losses, according to officials.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori, Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Secretary Md. Tofazzel Hossain, Fisheries Development Corporation Chairperson and Additional Secretary Suraiya Akhtar Jahan, and JICA representative Ichiguchi Tomohide, among others.

Earlier in the day, journalists seeking to cover the adviser’s visit faced obstruction from Fisheries Development Corporation officials. They were told that only “10 listed journalists” would be allowed to cover the official program, and others would be barred and possibly removed by law enforcement if they attempted to enter. Later, the adviser expressed regret over the incident to the journalists.