Barguna fisherwoman's fight against social norms

She has become the only fisherwoman with licence to catch hilsa in Barishal division after securing a place in the traditionally male-dominated fishing industry.

A member of rural coastal community, Laily Begum has been sailing and fishing in the Bishkhali river for the last 13 years.

This correspondent met the tall, robust fisherwoman one winter afternoon at her tin-hut house in North Dalbhanga village at Dhalua union in Barguna Sadar upazila.

The 35-year-old recounted how necessity had driven her towards the arduous task of fishing in the river and sometimes the sea.

Life in the disaster-prone Dalbhanga has always been hard because of the continuous erosion. Like other villagers, her family has never seen prosperity.

Things worsened further after the cyclone Sidr hit their village in 2007. Within a couple of months, Laily lost her farmer father Hachon Pader and her elder brother to illness.

Her younger brother got married and moved away with his family. With his meagre income, he could not support his family and also provide for Laily and her sick and elderly mother.

“I felt completely at loss as I did not know how to look after my sick mother and at the same time arrange food for the two of us,” she recollected.

“At that point, I decided I will not get married leaving my mother alone,” she said, recounting how she vowed to take responsibility of her family.

“I had thought of joining a garment factory. But who would look after my mother then? Similarly, if I got married, I would have to take care of another person’s family.”

However, there were no opportunities for any other work in remote Dalbhanga for Laily, who never went to school. “People travel to other places from here to look for work,” she said.

Laily’s father had left about 30 decimals of land and she decided to make the best of it. “I decided I would work on the field myself instead of leasing it out for sharecropping,” she said.

With help from a neighbour she learned how to sow seeds, plant, irrigate and harvest crops, and started cultivating. The money she earned, however, was not enough to cover the living expenses of two people.

That is when Laily turned to the Bishkhali. “I asked a relative to take me fishing, but he ignored me and sort of chided me for making such a request.”

But Laily wouldn’t give up. She compelled him to take her on a fishing trip in the river.

“I was steadfast in my objective to learn fishing and I slowly become adept at it,” said the proud fisherwoman.

Laily, who earns about Tk 500 to Tk 1,000 per day from fishing, had borrowed Tk 50,000 from a fish trader to build a fishing trawler along with a partner and buy nets and traps. Because of this, she has to sell her catch to the trader at a price lower than the market rate.

While fishing in the river, Laily spends about six to seven hours waiting for the tidal cycle. Out in the sea, it is a six to seven days’ task.

“I was somewhat frightened during my first few fishing trips, but my fellow fishermen give me courage and we always abide by the weather alerts,” said Laily, her weather-beaten face devoid of any fear.

A RESOLUTE LAILY

“There are many women on the coast who are constantly struggling to survive. I thank Laily, who did not give a damn to traditional norms and social etiquettes, in the struggle of life,” said Hosseinara Hasi, executive director of local pro-women development organisation called “Jago Nari”.

Patuakhali District Fisheries Officer Mollah Emdadullah said, “Some women of the Bede [nomadic] community fish in small boats in the canals and rivulets of this region, but Laily is the only woman in Barguna with a license to catch hilsha.”

Director of Barishal Fisheries Department Azizul Haque also said he has not heard of any other enlisted fisherwoman in the southern division.

Barguna Deputy Commissioner Mustain Billah praised Laily’s endeavour and the assured all kinds of cooperation.

“We have already inquired about Laily Begum. She will get all kinds of support from the government,” he said.