He said this while speaking as chief guest at an awareness meeting and VGF rice distribution ceremony among fishermen families on the occasion of the Mother Hilsa Conservation Campaign-2026 at the premises of Charjanajat Ilias Ahmed Chowdhury High School in Shivchar Upazila of Madaripur on Thursday (October 8).

The state minister said hilsa is a national asset and GI product of Bangladesh. To increase hilsa breeding and production, the government-declared ban from October 8 to 29 must be strictly enforced. He called on the administration and law enforcement agencies to play a responsible role in keeping hilsa harvesting, transportation, marketing and sale stopped during this period.

He said Madaripur is an important region for hilsa. If the 22-day ban is complied with, hilsa production will increase and, in the long term, fishermen's income and assets will increase. To ensure food support for fishermen families during the ban, the government is providing VGF rice.

Noting that protecting hilsa is not the responsibility of the government alone but of everyone—Tuku said that if the ban is implemented collectively, hilsa production will increase further and fishermen will benefit from it. He also said the government is working to protect the interests of fishermen.

Deputy Commissioner of Madaripur Miss Marzina Akter presided over the event. Member of Parliament for Madaripur-1 constituency Said Uddin Ahmad Hanzala, Director General (in charge) of the Department of Fisheries Dr. Md. Khaled Kanak, Superintendent of Police Md. Fazle Elahi, and concerned officials were present.

Later, 25 kg of VGF rice was distributed to each of 151 fishermen families in Shivchar.