Photo: PID

DHAKA, Aug 14, 2025 (BSS) - The first meeting of the National Committee, formed to determine the next steps to control and limit the use of pesticides in agriculture to protect fisheries and livestock in the Haor region, was held today at the conference room of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock at the Secretariat.

The committee decided to prepare an action plan to control pesticide use in the haor area in the shortest possible time and implement it in a coordinated manner.

Fisheries and Livestock Advisor Farida Akhter presided over the meeting while Agriculture Secretary Dr. Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian and other members of the committee also joined it.

Participants in the discussion emphasized the need to formulate specific policies for the use of pesticides to protect the ecological balance of haors, fish breeding grounds and biodiversity, and to promote alternative agricultural practices.

The speakers said that pesticides used in agriculture and animal husbandry are creating multifaceted risks to aquatic ecosystems, including fish, livestock and human health.

Pesticides are entering rivers, canals and ponds through rain and wind, killing fish, reducing reproduction, disrupting the food chain and reducing nutritional quality.

In Bangladesh, residues of such chemicals have been detected in fish, milk, eggs and meat, which are creating long-term health risks.

The meeting emphasized the importance of increasing awareness among farmers, providing training at the field level, and strengthening monitoring of pesticide use in coordination with local administration.

The speakers emphasized the need to control industrial pollution and take remedial measures.