Hilsa Fishing Life on the Meghna

Thousands of families in Chandpur depend on hilsa fishing, setting out at night in wooden boats with long drift nets. Their year follows the fish: the Meghna near Chandpur is a hilsa sanctuary, and the government bans fishing there for part of the spring to protect young fish (jatka), with a further ban during the main autumn spawning period. Visiting the ghats or talking with boat crews gives a sense of how closely life here is tied to the river.

Good to know

Do not buy jatka (juvenile hilsa) or fish during ban periods; it harms the fishery and is illegal.

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• #river-life
• #conservation