Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry to take effective steps for tapping the resources from the country’s vast maritime areas.

‘We’ve got a huge maritime boundary...it’s almost 118,813 square kilometres, we must tap the resources from there, as we’re still lagging behind in this regard,’ she said.

The Prime Minister gave the directive while inaugurating the National Fisheries Week 2015 at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) in the Dhaka.

Sheikh Hasina said attaining the maritime boundary is not the last word, as there are huge resources.

‘We’ve to utilise the resources for the country’s socioeconomic development...we need to think about that with due importance,’ she said asking the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry to find out those interested in doing this.

About the export of fish and fish items, Hasina laid emphasis on strictly maintaining the standard and quality of the export items.

‘Whenever we want to export something, the standard and quality of the items come first and that’s most important because if the quality and standard are not maintained then the market will be closed for us,’ she reminded the exporters.

Chaired by Fisheries and Livestock Minister Muhammad Sayedul Hoque, the programme was addressed, among others, by State Mister for Fisheries and Livestock Narayon Chandra Chanda and Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Shelina Afroza.