Sundarbans fishers still tangled in web of oppression by local influentials
The anglers can finally move freely inside the forest now that the robbers are gone. And all this has been possible because of my contributions.
Reaching deep inside the Sundarbans, one will be taken aback to see mobile banking agents at such a remote place. But their set-ups inside the forest do a lot to help thousands of anglers, who build temporary houses there during fishing season.
During November every year, at the onset of winter, the remote island of Dublar Char -- located at the southern border of the Sundarbans, facing the Bay of Bengal -- becomes vibrant with the footprint of around 30,000 deep-sea anglers and people engaged in fish drying. They stay in the island for five months, braving natural disasters and other hardships.
Over the last three years, their numbers have only risen, thanks to the surrender of 32 robber gangs in 2018. On November 1 of the same year, the Sundarbans was declared "robber-free" by the government. During this time, the anglers' and fish driers' business have steadily increased.
However, a new hurdle impedes further growth of their trade.
With the robbers gone, their place has been taken by a group of influential people, widely known as "Saheb". Currently, the situation at the island is so grave that no one dares to sell a single fish or fishing boat without the Sahebs' permission.
When this correspondent visited Dublar Char early this month, locals claimed there are 15 Sahebs in the island, who mainly take permission from the forest department for fishing inside the forest for the season.
After obtaining the permits, they're handed over to the anglers, but there's a catch. The permits are given only to those anglers who agree to take a loan from the Sahebs and sale their fish to them.
Contacted, Divisional Forest Officer Mohammad Belayet Hossain said they give out permits this way to ensure discipline in the forest. "This year, Kamal [Kamal Uddin alias Kamal Mama, leader of the Sahebs] and his group got 985 permits from us," he said.
Each permit costs Tk 10,000, said forest department sources.
Talking to this newspaper, Kamal Uddin refuted all allegations, saying he was not involved in any kind of irregularities.
"The anglers can finally move freely inside the forest now that the robbers are gone. And all this has been possible because of my contributions," he claimed.
Despite this, the island's fishing industry has seen a steady increase in revenues. According to forest department data, the government Tk 3.22 crore in revenue for the 2020-21 financial year. This was Tk 2.73 crore in 2019-20 and Tk 2.46 crore for the 2018-19 fiscal year.
This is a sharp rise when compared to the stats of prior years. In 2015-16, the revenue was Tk 1.70 crore, while in 2016-17 it was Tk 2.28 crore.
Forest officer Belayet said this is mainly due to the surrender of the robber gangs, which has no only brought peace to the island but also attracting more people to it during fishing season.
The government collects Tk 500 for every quintal of dry shrimp, while for other types of fish, the rate goes up to Tk 2,000 or even Tk 2,500, said Belayet.
Beside this, the forest department also charges Tk 50.52 for living in the island during this five months. However, it is free to build and live in a makeshift house in the island, or using open spaces to dry fish, the officials said.
But even here the Sahebs barge in. Iqbal Sheikh, who set up a hotel in the island, claimed that they have to pay Tk 3,000 to Tk 4,000 to the Sahebs for each shop set up here, depending on size.
"The Sahebs justify this by claiming they collect the amount to pay to the forest department," Iqbal told this correspondent.
However, forest officer Belayet said they are not aware of any such exchange.
Over the years, Dublar Char has become a lively little island, especially during the fishing season. For a place so remote, its New Market boasts everything from kitchen items, mobile financial service providers, to electronic stores.
Locals said life has been getting better here after the robbers' headed out in 2018. But with the Sahebs posing a new kind of menace over the island, it seems like the good life is still a mile away for them, they said.
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