Bangladesh Navy has earned the Gold Medal in the” National Fisheries Award 2019” this year in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the country's fisheries resources and marine fisheries management.

Naval Chief Admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury formally received the award from Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina at a programme  held in the auditorium of the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) in the capital on Thursday .

He also highlighted  various activities of the Navy in the development of the country's fisheries resources and management of marine fisheries.

Average yield of Hilsa production has increased by 5.3 percent in the last ten years thanks to “Operation Jatka” and “Ma Hilsa Reservation Campaign”  by Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard round the year in the country's inland rivers and coastal areas following  timely and effective direction of the present government, said a media release of Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR).

As a result, Bangladesh’s hilsha catch is currently the largest in the world. In fact over two-thirds of the world's hilsha caught for commercial purposes.

 It is to be noted that the total production of Hilsa in the country was 3.13 lakh metric tons in 2008-2009, which increased to 5.17 lakh metric tons in 2017-2018, which is about 12 percent of the country's total fish production and at current prices is worth around Tk 20,000 crore . Hilsa's contribution to GDP of Bangladesh is about 1 percent.

Due to the regular and effective operation of the navy, it has been possible to export the country's hilsa abroad alongside ensuring sufficient supply of the fish in the local market, which is making important contributions to the national economy.

 In the last fiscal year 2018-2019, the Navy seized  illegal nets, boats and Hilsha fries known as ‘pona’  worth approximately Tk 338 crore conducting ‘Operation Jatka’ and ‘Ma Hilsha preservation campaign’.