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DHAKA, June 2, 2025 (BSS) - Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed today 
proposed to allocate Taka 3,392 crore for the fisheries and livestock sector 
in the financial year 2025-2026 (FY26) which was Taka 896 crore less from the 
previous budget (FY2024-2025).

The finance adviser said this while presenting the proposed national budget 
for FY26 in a pre-recorded speech broadcast on Bangladesh Television (BTV) and 
Bangladesh Betar.

In the budget of FY 2024-25, the allocation was Taka 4,288 while it was Taka 
3,858 in revised budget of FY 25, Taka 466 crore less than the proposed 
budget.

"To develop fisheries and livestock alongside the agriculture sector and 
ensure food security, I propose to allocate a total of Taka 39,620 crore for 
Agriculture, food, and fisheries and livestock in FY2025-26, which was Taka 
38,259 crore in FY2024-25," the finance adviser said in his budget speech.

Considering the protein demand of the country, a target has been set to 
produce 52,55,000 tonnes of fish in FY2025-26.

The interim government has been making relentless efforts to develop the 
fisheries and livestock sector to meet the demand of animal protein and 
ensure food and nutrition security, he added. 

To meet the growing demand of safe animal protein in the country, an action 
plan has been taken to develop sustainable varieties of fisheries, livestock 
and poultry as well as achieve desired production through disease control, 
the adviser continued.

According to the report of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 
of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Bangladesh 
ranked second in producing fish in inland open water capture production and 
fifth in the World Aquaculture Production (WAP). 

Bangladesh also ranked first among the 11 Hilsa producing countries in the 
world and fourth in tilapia, a globally popular fish species, production. 

To increase the production of freshwater fish, the government has issued a 
directive to stop all types of fishing in haor areas from May 29 to June 28 
every year. 

Special combing operations are being conducted to remove prohibited/illegal 
fishing nets. All types of fishing have been banned in the maritime waters 
from April 15 to June 11 every year. 

During the holy month of Ramadan this year, milk, beef, chicken and eggs were 
sold at affordable prices through mobile sales centers. In addition, vaccines 
for lumpy skin disease, avian influenza and goat pox have been invented to 
protect livestock.

In the medium term, initiatives have been taken to modernize fish farming 
through mechanization of commercial fish farms and expansion of automated 
production systems, strengthening sustainable management of marine fisheries 
resources to develop the blue economy and produce diversified fish and 
fishery products.