'Stop harassment of fishermen'

Small fishermen and fish traders yesterday placed an eight-point demand, including sufficient allocation in the upcoming budget for the welfare of fishermen.
They also demanded an end to harassment of fishermen and fish traders by law enforcement agencies in the name of action against the catching of Jatka and inclusion of their representatives in the committee preparing the list of fishermen, who used to catch Jatka, for their rehabilitation.
Placing the demands at a press conference in the city, Bangladesh Khudra Matshyajibi Jeley Samity, an association of the fishermen, called on the government to meet the demands by June10.
Otherwise they would organise various programmes to mobilise public opinion in their favour. Finally they would be forced to take a decision to stop fishing and marketing of fishes in Narayanganj, Chandpur, Luxmipur, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Bagerhat and Barisal on July 26, the association leaders said.
Other demands include providing easy loan for fishermen and fish exporters; training for at least 10 fishermen in each union and giving them two jalmahals; and steps to rehabilitate the families of fishermen killed or injured in the cyclone Sidr.
General Secretary of the association Anwar Hossain Shikdar said the fishermen are not using current nets in 11 districts identified as 'Jatka districts', but law enforcement agency personnel are harassing and assaulting them in the name of drive against such nets.
He said the government should rehabilitate the affected fishermen during the Jatka preservation period, but in practice it is not the case.
He also said the association had submitted a list of Sidr-affected fishermen to the fisheries department, but no steps have been taken so far to rehabilitate their families.
Vice-President of the association Shahjahan Kabir Zahir, Shah Alam, Abdul Barek Shikdar, Bachhu Haji, Abdul Jalil, Md Babul Hawlader and Babu Chinta Ram Das also spoke.