High risks, little rewards: Fishers face losses due to fuel hike
Last month, the government slapped consumers with a record hike in fuel prices. As expected, the negative impacts of this overnight hike trickled down to the very grassroots.
The fishers who venture into the deep sea with their diesel-run trawlers were one of the hardest hit.
At the consumer level, the retail prices of diesel and kerosene was set at Tk 114 per litre on Aug 5, up by a whopping 42.5 percent from Tk 80 per litre.
After the 65-day ban on fishing, on July 23, over 50,000 hilsa fishers in Patuakhali went to the sea with renewed enthusiasm.
But the increase in fuel price, alongside turbulent sea meant this delight was short lived.
"We used to buy a barrel of diesel at Tk 16,500, but it's now more than Tk 23,000. A small-sized trawler needs seven barrels for a seven to eight-day trip, and a big trawler needs eight to nine barrels of diesel," said Matiur Rahman Chayan, proprietor of Safa Fishing at Alipur fish landing station of Kalapara, Patuakhali.
"Besides, due to the increased prices of essential commodities such as rice, we are spending Tk 60,000 to 70,000 more on each trip, depending on the size of the trawler," he lamented.
Asaduzzaman Didar, the owner of Saikat Fishing, said some trawler owners have already sold their vessels due to huge loss. "Every big trawler spends at least Tk 3.5 to 4 lakh per trip to catch fish in the sea," he said.
Abdul Jalil, owner of Moni Fish, echoed the same.
In earlier seasons, 100 to 150 fishing trawlers went to the sea every day, and each time they returned to the shore with 50 to 80 maunds of hilsa.
But now only 20-25 trawlers can sustain venturing into the sea per day. To make things worse, the amount of fish being trapped on their nets has also been way less than previous years, they said.
Abdur Rahman, a fisher of Mahipur fish landing station, said that the operating cost is increasing due to the lack of desired fish in the sea and the increased fuel prices.
"Even though the hilsa season is in full swing now, we are running our business by borrowing and lending."
Another fisher, Amir Hossain, said ,"If this continues, we will have to leave this profession for good."
Fazlu Gazi, owner of Gazi Fish, also local UP chairperson, said about 4,000 fishers have left their profession in the last five years. "If this continues, no one will be there to catch fish," he feared.
Although fuel prices were slashed slightly, by Tk 5 per litre, the fishers say this won't mean much in the grand scheme of things.
Fisher Abdul Mannan said, "First, they [the government] increased diesel price by almost Tk 40. The so-called price reduction now is nothing but a poor joke."
All the fishers this correspondent talked to said they are now wondering if the risks they take to catch fish are actually worth it.
At least 25 fishing trawlers of Patuakhali drowned due to low pressure in the bay between August 13 and 18. During this time, around 370 fishers disappeared into the sea.
Later, fishers were rescued from different places.
Contacted, Patuakhali district fisheries officer SM Azharul Islam said, "The current crisis is due to the hike in fuel price. We are trying to find ways to compensate the fishers."
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