Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (Bangladesh)

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (Bangladesh)
Agency name	Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock
Native name	মৎস্য ও প্রাণিসম্পদ মন্ত্রণালয়
Formed	1971
Jurisdiction	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Headquarters	Secretariat, Dhaka

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (Bangladesh) is the executive ministry responsible for policy, regulation, development, and oversight of the fisheries and livestock sectors in Bangladesh. The ministry interfaces with national bodies, provincial administrations, and international organizations to implement programs affecting aquaculture, capture fisheries, poultry, cattle, and veterinary services across the Ganges Delta, Bay of Bengal, and inland water bodies. It works alongside ministries and agencies involved with Ministry of Agriculture (Bangladesh), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and development partners including Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank.

History

The ministry traces its administrative roots to post-independence institutions established following the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, when emerging departments for fisheries and livestock were reorganized to address food security and rural livelihoods. During the 1970s and 1980s, programs influenced by the Green Revolution and global livestock initiatives led to expansion of hatcheries, veterinary networks, and cold chain investments linked with agencies such as International Fund for Agricultural Development and Asian Development Bank. Reforms in the 1990s connected the ministry’s work with structural adjustment dialogues involving International Monetary Fund and bilateral partners including United Kingdom and Japan, while the 2000s emphasized aquaculture intensification, shrimp export regulation related to trade with European Union, and public health linkages with World Health Organization. Recent history includes climate resilience actions in the wake of cyclones such as Cyclone Sidr and policy alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals and regional frameworks like the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.

Organisation and Structure

The ministry comprises administrative wings and statutory bodies, including directorates and research institutes reporting to a senior secretary based in Secretariat, Dhaka. Principal affiliated organizations include the Department of Fisheries (Bangladesh), Department of Livestock Services, and laboratories connected to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University and Bangladesh Agricultural University. The organisational chart links field offices in districts such as Chittagong District, Khulna District, and Barisal District with extension services, hatcheries, and cold storage regulated through institutions like the Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation and the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute. The ministry also interacts with regulatory frameworks administered by the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution and trade bodies like the Chittagong Port Authority.

Functions and Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include formulation of national policy on aquaculture and animal husbandry, regulation of capture fisheries in maritime zones including the Exclusive Economic Zone of Bangladesh, disease control coordination with World Organisation for Animal Health, and export certification for commodities destined for markets such as European Union and United States. The ministry administers licensing regimes, inland water conservation programs tied to river basins like the Padma River and Jamuna River, and oversight of feed and veterinary pharmaceutical standards in coordination with institutions including Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution and Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research. It enforces laws such as statutes relating to fish sanctuaries, livestock quarantine, and seafood safety linked to trade agreements negotiated with partners including India and China.

Programs and Initiatives

Major initiatives include national aquaculture intensification projects modeled after international programs with support from World Bank and Asian Development Bank, shrimp and hilsa management measures affecting communities in Patuakhali District and Cox's Bazar District, and poultry vaccination campaigns coordinated with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance-aligned programs. Livestock development schemes target dairy improvement in regions such as Mymensingh District and smallholder resilience projects funded by donors like the Department for International Development and United Nations Development Programme. Conservation efforts intersect with protected areas including the Sundarbans and coastal livelihood programs responding to cyclones such as Cyclone Aila.

Research, Education and Training

Research institutions under the ministry include the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute and the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, which collaborate with universities such as University of Dhaka, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, and Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University on breeding, disease control, and feed technology. Training programs for extension officers and para-veterinarians are run in partnership with donor-supported initiatives by Food and Agriculture Organization and Asian Development Bank, and vocational curricula coordinate with technical institutes recognized by the Ministry of Education (Bangladesh) and professional bodies such as the Bangladesh Veterinary Council.

International Cooperation and Agreements

The ministry engages in bilateral and multilateral cooperation with entities including Food and Agriculture Organization, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and regional partners in SAARC and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. Agreements cover fisheries management in the Bay of Bengal, transboundary disease control with India and Myanmar, and trade protocols with the European Union and United States addressing sanitary and phytosanitary standards. Climate adaptation projects align with funds such as the Green Climate Fund and technical assistance from International Fund for Agricultural Development.

Budget and Administration

Budget allocations are presented as part of the national annual budget debated in the Jatiya Sangsad and administered through the finance mechanisms of the Ministry of Finance (Bangladesh). Expenditure lines cover staff salaries for cadres in the Bangladesh Civil Service, capital investment in hatcheries and cold chain facilities at ports like Chittagong, and donor-financed project accounts monitored by audit institutions including the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh. Financial management follows national procurement rules and oversight by parliamentary committees such as the Public Accounts Committee.

Category:Government ministries of Bangladesh Category:Fisheries ministries Category:Livestock ministries