The Aquaculture Network of Bangladesh (ANB) organized a national workshop titled “Advancing the Sustainable Growth of Aquaculture: Exploring the Need for a National Aquaculture Policy in Bangladesh” at Sheraton Dhaka. Supported by Cefas (UK) under the Ocean Country Partnership Program, the workshop brought together senior government representatives, academic leaders, private sector organizations, development partners, and aquaculture practitioners.
As a partner organisation of ANB, Seafood Network Bangladesh (SNB) attended the workshop to cover industry developments and promote sector-wide knowledge sharing. Representatives from FISHBYTE, another ANB partner, were also present and participated actively in the discussions.
Broad Representation Across Government, Academia, and Industry
The event was chaired by Prof. Dr. Md. Monirul Islam (University of Dhaka / BFRF).
Mr. Abu Tahir Muhammed Zaber, Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, attended as Chief Guest.
Distinguished Special Guests included:
- Dr. Md. Abdur Rouf, Director General, Department of Fisheries
- Rear Admiral Dr. Khandakar Akhter Hossain, Vice-Chancellor, Bangladesh Marine University
The workshop began with a welcome session and an introduction to ANB delivered by Prof. Dr. Md. Lifat Rahi of Khulna University (BSFF).
ANB’s partner organizations represented at the event included Bangladesh Marine University (BMU), Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF), Bangladesh Fisheries Research Forum (BFRF), private sector partner FISHBYTE.
Workshop Sessions and Key Presentations
The workshop aimed to:
- Share findings from recent regional dialogues with shrimp, finfish, hatchery, and smallholder farming communities.
- Facilitate policy-oriented discussions between government, researchers, industry, and field-level actors.
- Identify strategic priorities needed to guide a future National Aquaculture Policy.
Keynote presentations included:
- Dr. Md. Motaleb Hossain – Current status and advancement of Bangladesh’s aquaculture sector
- Prof. Dr. Md. Abdul Wahab – Why Bangladesh needs a National Aquaculture Policy
- Dr. Maria Zaman – Integrating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) into aquaculture development
Following the technical session, a panel discussion and an open floor dialogue allowed participants to exchange practical perspectives on industry challenges, governance gaps, and policy opportunities.
Toward a More Sustainable and Inclusive Aquaculture Policy
The workshop concluded with shared expectations to:
- Establish clear and actionable policy priorities for sustainable aquaculture development.
- Strengthen knowledge-sharing mechanisms between government, academia, private sector, and farming communities.
- Enhance stakeholder networking to encourage coordinated sector growth.
- Develop practical, inclusive, and climate-resilient recommendations for the proposed National Aquaculture Policy of Bangladesh.
