Govt cancels illegally obtained VGF cards: adviser

The government has revised the list of VGF (vulnerable group feeding) cards for fishermen and cancelled those illegally obtained by non-fishermen during the previous government's tenure, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter said today.

"We want to ensure that genuine fishermen receive the cards. Also, in households where a male fisherman holds a card, women should have one too," she added.

The adviser made these remarks today at an event organised by the Centre for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS), held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka.

She said that during fishing bans, the government cannot always provide VGF support to all who need it.

Discussions with the finance ministry are ongoing to increase both the number of cards and the allocation.

"We want to build an inclusive society," she said.

The adviser further noted that many fishermen die or go missing in sea storms, and due to their absence, their wives cannot access bank funds or receive widow allowances.

"These legal complications must be addressed," she said.

Abdur Rouf, director general of the Department of Fisheries, said female workers earn 30 percent less than their male counterparts.

Among the 17 lakh registered fishermen in Bangladesh, only 44,000 are women. "We must work to increase that number," he added.