Dhaka, Oct. 27 -- Fishermen across Bangladesh returned to rivers and the sea early Sunday as the government's 22-day nationwide ban on catching, transporting, and selling Hilsa officially ended at midnight.

The annual ban, imposed from October 4 to October 25, is part of a long-running government initiative to protect mother Hilsa during its peak breeding season.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, in coordination with the Coast Guard, River Police, and local administration, conducted over 65,000 enforcement drives across key breeding zones including Chandpur, Bhola, Barishal, Patuakhali, Barguna, and Laxmipur to ensure compliance.

According to the Department of Fisheries, the embargo helped safeguard millions of spawning fish, wh...