Coastal fishermen ready as ‘fish drying season’ starts Nov 1
Thousands of fishermen are preparing to go to the Bay for netting fish as six-month-long ‘fish drying season’ starts on November 1.
During the period, around 20,000 fishermen from different districts including Bagerhat, Patuakhali and Barishal will catch fish in the Bay and dry them in coastal island areas like Alorchar, Majherchar, Dublarchar, Shalerchar, Narkelbaria and Majherkella in the Sundarbans, said forest department officials.
For repairing nets and trawlers and arranging food and other necessary things, they often borrow money from the moneylenders and NGOs with high interest.
Leaving their families amid uncertainty, they work in the sea and island areas for months, braving various odds like rough weather and abduction for ransom by robbers in the coastal areas, said several fishermen.
Some 1500 fishermen of Bagerhat, most of them from Rampal, Kachua and Sharankhola upazilas, will go to for netting fish and drying them, said forest department officials.
“For preparation to go for fishing in the sea, we have to borrow money from mahajons [moneylenders] at 30 to 40 percent interest. And we have to work amid fear of bandits and a section of unscrupulous forest guards,” said Azad Sheikh, 42, of Perihali in Rampal.
He demanded adequate security arrangement by the forest department.
Talking with this correspondent, several fishermen urged the government to ensure fair prices of fish and arrange sufficient treatment facilities in the coastal island areas.
They also demanded easy term loans to help them survive in the profession.
Mahmudul Hassan, divisional forest officer of Sundarbans (East) Forest Department, said, “Fishermen will go fishing with the permission of the forest department from November 1 when the fish drying season starts. Forest guards always cooperate with them on various issues, including security.”
“We collected Tk 2 crore 83 lakh as revenue from the sector last year while this season’s target is Tk 3 crore,” he said.
Comments