Hilsa ban ends: the jatka rules every fisher needs next

29 October 2026 · 2 min read · Krishoker Thikana desk

The 22-day ban on catching hilsa, which began on 8 October 2026 to protect mother hilsa during their main breeding season, ends on 29 October. It covered the major rivers of 38 districts and banned catching, transporting, storing, buying, selling and exchanging hilsa.

Many fishers will be back on the water in the next few days. But a second, longer rule starts almost at once, and it is the one that decides how much hilsa there will be next year.

The next rule: no jatka from 1 November to 30 June

Jatka are young hilsa. According to the Department of Fisheries, from 1 November to 30 June it is banned to catch, carry, store, buy, sell or exchange jatka, meaning hilsa shorter than 25 cm.

• Keep a measuring tape on the boat. If a hilsa is under 25 cm, it goes back in the water.
• Do not use current jal (fine monofilament net). It is illegal and it catches jatka in huge numbers.
• Traders and transporters are covered too: carrying or selling jatka is an offence, not only catching it.
• Some rivers also have sanctuary periods in spring. Ask your Upazila Fisheries Office for the dates in your area.

Why it is worth it

Every mother hilsa that spawns this month produces the jatka that grow into next season's catch. Catching jatka now is like eating next year's seed rice: the money is small today and the loss is large tomorrow.

Rice support during bans

During this ban, each of 6,46,290 registered fisher families in 38 districts received 25 kg of rice. Fishers had asked for 100 kg, and the Barishal divisional fisheries director acknowledged that the allocation was not enough, citing budget limits.

• Support goes only to registered fishers. If you do not have a fisher ID card, apply at your Upazila Fisheries Office before the next ban.
• If you are registered but did not receive rice, report it to the Upazila Fisheries Office or the Upazila Nirbahi Officer, and keep the date and names.

Penalties

Breaking the jatka ban is a criminal offence. As reported when the eight-month ban was introduced, the penalty can be up to two years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of up to Tk 5,000. Mobile courts regularly seize nets, boats and fish during ban periods.

Where to get help

Your Upazila Fisheries Office is the first stop for ban dates, fisher ID cards and rice support. The Fish page of this site lists the Department of Fisheries, the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute and international support.