Adviser Rizwana: Ilish is for export, not a gift to India

Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources Syeda Rizwana Hassan has clarified that the ilish fish being sent to India is not a gift but will be exported for revenue.

"The government of Bangladesh will receive the export money, which is not a small amount," she said, speaking to media on Monday after visiting the damaged Muchapur regulator in Companiganj upazila, Noakhali, on Monday.

Discussing the environmental impacts of sand extraction from rivers, she remarked: "The extraction of sand from rivers has become a form of national banditry. District administrators, driven by revenue considerations, often declare sand mining zones in rivers despite local objections. However, just as sand mining zones can be declared, they can also be abolished. It’s time to reconsider whether river dredging through sand extraction should be handed over to sand traders or if the government should take over."

Rizwana emphasized the need to approach river management from the perspective of the people: "We came to the riverbanks to see the problems through the people's lens, not the government's. If the government and the people are seen as separate entities, there will be no change. We must work together to solve these issues."

Referring to river erosion, she noted that, according to official estimates, about 30,000 people lose their homes to erosion annually, with private estimates exceeding 100,000.

Rizwana also highlighted the importance of the Muchapur regulator to prevent saltwater encroachment. "Even if we aim to build the regulator quickly, it will take two to three years. Local residents have suggested removing the sand deposits in the area. The river requires both capital and maintenance dredging, and the government must consider both options. We will evaluate which solution is most effective and implement it accordingly," she said.