Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Monday urged people to take better care of rivers, warning that reckless pollution is contaminating the water and harming people.
“We always talk about river management but never about river nurturing,” he said while inaugurating National Fisheries Week 2025 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital.
Worried at the growing pollution, Yunus said, “We throw all our waste into rivers, making the water toxic. That poison then enters our own bodies.”
Highlighting the crucial role of fisheries in national life, the Chief Adviser urged people to adopt a more compassionate approach towards nature. “Because of the contribution of the fisheries sector, we must be kind to nature and water. If ecosystems collapse, fish production will eventually stop,” he cautioned.
The Chief Adviser emphasised that environment-friendly farming and the participation of young people could help strengthen the sector further.
“Fish is our favourite food, yet we hardly remember those who work tirelessly to bring it to our tables. We only worry about whether the fish is cheap or fresh. Today is about remembering them,” he said.
He cited the story of a fish seller who had travelled overnight from Chattogram to Dhaka with fresh ‘Shing fish’ (stinging catfish) but came under fire while selling them. “That is just one example,” Dr Yunus said, adding that people working in the fisheries sector often face enormous challenges.
Warning against reluctance about pollution, the Chief Adviser said, “We are becoming so cruel that even fish may one day vanish from our fate. We dump all sorts of waste and toxins into water, but we fail to realise that these poisons are returning to us.”
He also highlighted the vast potential of Bangladesh’s fisheries sector, particularly in deep-sea fishing, which he said should be tapped more effectively.
At the event, Yunus presented the National Fisheries Award 2025 to this year’s winners in recognition of their contributions to the sector.