Bangladesh targets underused waterways for fisheries growth and youth employment

Prime minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday urged entrepreneurs to make greater use of Bangladesh’s underused waterways to expand fish production, create jobs, and boost exports.

“Many rivers, canals, beels, ponds and haors across the country remain underutilised. The government is taking steps to restore these water bodies and release fish fry in them. Unemployed youths in the respective areas will be given opportunities to utilise these water bodies, enabling them to create employment and become self-reliant,” Rahman said at the opening of National Fisheries Fortnight 2026 in Kishoreganj.

Rahman also called for stronger environmental protection, warning that waste is damaging waterways and threatening fisheries.

He said Bangladesh earned more than Tk 6,000 crore (approximately $489.4 million) from fish and fisheries exports to about 52 countries in the 2025-26 fiscal year. About 2 crore people depend directly or indirectly on the fisheries sector, he said.