The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has allocated Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) rice to fishermen families rendered jobless due to the government-imposed three-month fishing ban in the Sundarbans. Under the first phase, 8,271 registered fishermen families out of 18,500 listed in the eastern and western Sundarbans received 80 kilograms of rice each for July and August. A total of 661.68 metric tonnes of VGF rice has been distributed, with the remaining eligible families to be brought under the programme in phases.
Fishing in the Sundarbans is prohibited from June to August to protect fish breeding, leaving thousands of fishermen without income. This initiative aims to support the livelihoods of fishers who remain out of work during the ban. Each beneficiary family received 40 kilograms of rice per month for July and August, with similar assistance to be extended to all 18,500 registered fishermen families.
In Khulna district, 336.64 metric tonnes of rice were distributed among 4,208 fishermen families in Koyra, Dakop, and Paikgacha upazilas. In Satkhira's Shyamnagar upazila, 2,574 families received 205.92 metric tonnes, while 1,489 families in eight upazilas of Bagerhat district received 119.12 metric tonnes. The fishermen have expressed satisfaction with the government's support, as they had long demanded such assistance during the fishing ban period.
The fishing ban in the Sundarbans was imposed on July 28, 2020, to protect fish breeding. Six years after its introduction, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock allocated VGF rice for the 2026-27 fiscal year as part of a humanitarian assistance programme. The allocation covers registered fishermen in 12 upazilas of Khulna, Satkhira, and Bagerhat districts.
Khulna Conservator of Forests Imran Ahmed said the initiative aims to support the livelihoods of fishers who remain out of work during the fishing ban. Bagerhat District Jatiyatabadi Matsyajibi Dal President Md. Dulal Farazi welcomed the initiative, expressing hope that food assistance would continue throughout the three-month fishing ban in the coming years.
