Bamboo enclosures, fishing nets hamper farming

Illegal bamboo enclosures with banned current nets in Gaznar Beel in Sujanagar upazila under Pabna district impedes smooth flow in the vast water body. The photo was taken from Badai village a few days ago. PHOTO: STAR

Illegally set bamboo enclosures and banned fishing nets hinder smooth flow of water in Gaznar Beel in Sujanagar upazila under the district, hampering local agriculture due to massive water logging in the vast open water body.
In Gaznar Beel area, 217.36 acres of land comprising 12 water bodies were leased to 12 fishermen's associations of Sujanagar upazila for a total of Tk 16.16 lakh this year, said sources of the upazila administration.
“The water bodies were leased to the groups of real fishermen according to Water Body Management Policy-2009. They can catch fish from there but are not allowed to set illegal bamboo enclosures or use banned current nets that create obstacle to smooth flow of water in open water bodies,” said Md Shakhawat Hossain, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Sujanagar.
But taking sub-lease from the real lessees, influential people set the enclosures, violating the lease condition, sources said.
Visiting the area a few days ago, this correspondent found at least 20 huge bamboo enclosures set up in 'Horer Jola' and Badai point of Gaznar Beel.
Nimai Haldar, secretary of 'Saguta fishermen's welfare association' leased Horer Jola for Tk 3.75 lakh this year but it was sub-leased to influential fish traders.
“We have taken the water body as sub-lease for fishing this season. We have already set enclosures spending Tk 10 lakh so that we can catch fish for next three to four months smoothly,” said Md Korban Ali, an influential fish trader of Badai village.
Other patches of water bodies in vast Gaznar Beel area, including 'Beel Gomgora', 'Matiar Beel-North', 'Motiar Beel-South', 'Bamundi Jola', 'Shaliar Beel', 'Beel Katajola', 'Beel Gazna', 'Bogazani', 'Modhupur Jolmohal', 'Nangolkhali Jolkor', 'Bannai Jolkor' gives similar picture.
“The bamboo enclosures and banned nets disrupt smooth flow of water in Gaznar Beel, creating water logging there. It badly affects boro and onion cultivation in the area,” said Md Subhan Sheikh, a farmer of Shaguta village.
"Different fishermen groups take lease of the water bodies in name of their organisations but local influential people manage to take their possession and obstruct flow of water with bamboo enclosures for fishing," he said.  
According to the 'Water Body Management Policy-2009' the lease-holders are not allowed to sub-lease the water bodies and must use it only for fish cultivation that brings profit for the real fishermen.
"We will take action if anybody allows sub lease of government water body violating lease agreement," said the Sujanagar UNO.