Fishermen pass hard time as compensation scanty

Hundreds of fishermen in the district have been passing their days in hardship due to a 65-day ban, which began from May 20, on fishing in the Bay.

On the other hand, the ban has adversely affected some other local economic sectors.

The government, for the first time, has imposed a 65-day ban on fishing in the sea, but apparently without taking any rehabilitation measures for the vulnerable group.

The sanction has been imposed in accordance with the Marine Fisheries Ordinance 1883 (amended in 2015) to ensure smooth breeding of sea fish.

According to the ordinance, no fishermen are allowed to catch fish in the sea during this period, said District Fisheries Officer Md Mosharraf Hossain.

Boat owner Iqbal Hossain of Badura village in Sadar upazila said to make a fishing boat, they have to take a large loan with high interest from local money lenders.

But they are incurring huge loss due to the ban, he said.

A number of fish traders and trawler owners in the area have been keeping their cellphones off as the lenders repeatedly phoned them to get back their money, said fish trader Abu Safayet of the village.

Even, operation of the local ice factories remained suspended due to the ban, he said.

“During the ongoing peak catching season of fish in the sea, we make good profit every year, but this time the scenario is totally different due to the ban,” said trader Shamim from Badura fish landing station in Sadar upazila.

Before the peak season of catching fish, all the fishermen take advanced loan from fishing boat owners and pay them after returning from the sea, said fisherman Jahangir Mollah of the upazila.

Mostly fishermen fell into despair as they have spent that money, he said, adding that many fishermen are passing their days in acute hardship as the government has not given any support to them during the ongoing ban.

The fisheries officer said although there are 24,680 registered fishermen in the district, they do not know how many fishermen go to the sea.

This year they are giving 40 kg of rice to 8,230 fishermen, each for two months, in Mathbaria upazila only, he said.

They are making a list of fishermen who catch fish in the sea, said the officer.

He hopes that all the sea fishermen will get the government compensation during the ban from next year.