Tk475cr project aims to revive fisheries in 29 baors

The government has proposed a Tk475.545 crore project to increase fish production, conserve aquatic biodiversity and improve fishermen’s livelihoods through community-based management of 29 baors (oxbow lakes) across four southwestern districts.

The five-year project, titled ‘Community-Based Fisheries Resource Management Project in Selected Baor Areas’, will cover 15 upazilas in Jashore, Jhenaidah, Chuadanga and Kushtia. It aims to raise fish production in the selected water bodies by 10 per cent and benefit 5,325 people.

According to the Department of Fisheries (DoF), the project will focus on restoring fish habitats, establishing sanctuaries, releasing indigenous and carp fingerlings, strengthening fishermen’s cooperatives and improving infrastructure. Implementation is proposed for July 2026 to June 2031, subject to approval, with funding from the government.


Designated sanctuary areas will remain closed to fishing to allow fish to breed and reproduce naturally. During the monsoon, when fish move into surrounding rivers and beels, fishermen will be able to catch them there, he said.

The project proposes Tk11.22 crore for excavating 550,000 cubic metres to improve fish habitats. It also includes Tk1.73 crore for re-excavating 35 ponds and repairing baor managers’ office banks, Tk1.40 crore for aerators, electricity connections, CCTV cameras and lampposts, and Tk1.20 crore for six deep tubewells.

Another Tk7.31 crore is earmarked for six office buildings, while Tk1.96 crore will go towards repairing fish landing centre-cum-cooperative buildings, roads and other infrastructure. A further Tk1.71 crore is proposed for installing iron mesh nets.

To replenish fish stocks, the project will release 55.25 tonnes of carp fingerlings and 15.455 million fingerlings of indigenous species at a proposed cost of Tk7.62 crore. It will also establish 29 fish sanctuaries for Tk2.32 crore and undertake 290 beel nursery activities over five years at a cost of Tk2.90 crore.

Updating the membership lists of fishermen’s cooperatives formed in the 1990s is another key component. The initiative aims to identify genuine fishermen and improve transparency in cooperative management, accounting and benefit distribution.

Dr Md Khaled Kanak, acting director general of the Department of Fisheries, said the project remained at a preliminary stage, with discussions held several times at the ministry and the Planning Commission.

He said the initiative would support fishermen and fish farmers through improved resource management. Successful implementation could increase fish production in the selected baors by 10 per cent and improve local livelihoods, he added.

The project proposes Tk1.16 crore to train 3,875 fishermen in 155 batches and Tk69 lakh to strengthen beneficiary groups, update membership lists and support registration and management. It also includes Tk72.50 lakh for 29 baor-based progress review seminars and Tk25.50 lakh for workshops and training modules.

Other proposed expenses include Tk1.08 crore for renting a jeep for five years, Tk69 lakh for 23 boats and Tk20 lakh for two awareness documentaries.

The proposed budget comprises Tk308.63 crore in capital expenditure and Tk166.915 crore in revenue expenditure. Officials expect habitat restoration, fish stocking, sanctuary development and community participation to improve fish availability and create more sustainable economic opportunities for communities dependent on the baors.