Friendly competition brings delight to anglers

A two-day fishing festival in Cumilla city ended yesterday night, with participation from over 500 amateur anglers from all over the country.

The festival took place at the historic Dharmasagar Dighi in the town.

Monjur Kader Moni, a ward councillor of Cumilla City Corporation, said, "The festival began on Friday. Over the two days, we saw anglers come in from Dhaka, Sylhet, Chattogram and more regions, with their fish hooks to try to catch the biggest fish they can."

Around 90 fishing platforms were made out of bamboo on the banks of the dighi, with wood surrounding their edges, festival sources said. Each platform was rented for Tk 17,000, with 10 of them being sponsored by the district administration, police, and others.

Anglers caught fish from all sizes and shapes, including rui, bighead and carp.

Thousands of city dwellers visited the festival to watch the anglers have a go at it. Locals said the occasion brought a vibrant mood to the area. The gathered audience cheered together every time someone caught a big fish, they said.