Twenty-two-day hilsa fishing ban begins from 8 October

From 8 October 2026 — Daily Brief

A nationwide 22-day restriction on hilsa fishing takes effect from 8 October and will run through 29 October to protect spawning fish during the peak breeding period.

The rules prohibit catching hilsa and also restrict transportation, storage, marketing, purchase, sale and exchange during the conservation window.

Authorities plan enforcement in major river systems and coastal areas, with district administrations, fisheries officials, river police and the Coast Guard involved. The government has also promised food support to registered fishing households that lose income during the closure.

Hilsa is Bangladesh’s national fish and an economically important species, but catches have been under pressure in several areas. Officials and researchers have pointed to factors including overfishing, illegal nets, river siltation, pollution and changing ecological conditions.

The seasonal ban is designed to allow mother hilsa to spawn with less fishing pressure, supporting future stocks. Its effectiveness depends on enforcement at rivers, landing stations, cold storage and markets as well as whether assistance reaches fishing families quickly enough to reduce the incentive for illegal fishing.