Ice crisis worries hilsa fishermen
Shortage of ice in Patuakhali and Barguna is causing severe worries for hilsa fishermen in the two coastal districts.
The crisis has arisen as the ice plants cannot produce sufficient ice due to lack of uninterrupted power supply. They get only three to four hours of power daily, which is insufficient to produce enough ice for the thousands of trawlers laden with fish.
There are three big fish landing stations in the two districts -- Pathorghata in Barguna and Alipur and Mohipur in Patuakhali. Large quantities of hilsa are being netted in the Bay and ice is essential for preserving and transporting the fish.
Fishermen and ice plants owners jointly arranged a human chain in Pathorghata town on Saturday, demanding uninterrupted power supply.
There is demand for around 10,000 to 15,000 cans of ice daily, but the 22 ice plants in Pathorghata cannot produce the required amount due to lack of uninterrupted power supply, said Al-Amin, owner of an ice plant.
The price of ice was Tk 100 to Tk 150 per can, but now it is Tk 450 to Tk 500 per can, said hilsa wholesaler Solaiman of Pathorghata.
In Patuakhali, several thousand fishermen of fish landing stations Alipur and Mohipur are also facing ice crisis due to lack of power supply.
Fisherman Jahangir Majhee said, “We can't go to the Bay to catch hilsa as we have been waiting at Alipur station for three days to get ice, although there are 40 ice plants here.”
“This is the peak season and plenty of hilsa are being netted, but the shortage of ice is worrying us,” he added.
Alipur station Trawler Owners' Association President Fazlu Gazi said at least 2,000 fishing trawlers are waiting for ice to go to the Bay. The price of hilsa has also decreased due to shortage of ice, he said, adding that one maund of hilsa is being sold at Tk 21,000 to Tk 25,000 now, while it was Tk 32,000 to Tk 36,000 before the ice crisis.
General Manager of Rural Electrification Board Monohor Kumar Biswas said they have not been able to ensure uninterrupted power supply as there is a problem in the national grid.
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