Govt stands by Sundarban fishers’ families

SHARANKHOLA, BAGERHAT, July 20: The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has, for the first time, allocated VGF rice to fishermen families rendered jobless due to the government-imposed three-month ban on fishing in the Sundarban. 

Under the humanitarian assistance programme, 8,271 enlisted fishermen families under the Sundarban East and West Forest Divisions are receiving this food aid in the first phase of the 2026-27 fiscal year.

Forest Department sources revealed that since the three-month fishing ban was imposed in the Sundarban in 2020, this is the first time in six years that government food assistance has been allocated for fishermen families. On 16 July, the ministry allocated a total of 661.68 metric tonnes of VGF rice for 8,271 enlisted Sundarban-dependent fishermen families across 12 upazilas in Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts.

According to the allocation, each family will receive a total of 80 kg of rice, at 40 kg per month, for the months of July and August.

Every year, fishing of all kinds remains prohibited in the Sundarban for three months �" June, July and August. The Forest Department enforced this ban on 28 July 2020 to protect fish breeding and aquatic biodiversity, and the restriction is currently in force.

During this period, thousands of fishermen and fishers dependent on the Sundarban become unemployed due to the fishing ban. With no alternative income sources, many families are enduring severe financial hardship.

According to Forest Department data, the number of enlisted fishermen in the Sharankhola and Chandpai ranges under the Sundarban East Forest Division stands at 8,540.