Prof ABM Mosharraf Husain, Bagerhat :
Drying of fish that started in a good and favourable weather at the different fish drying villages of Dublarchar situated in Sundarbans on the bank of the Bay of Bengal under the Eastern Division of Sundarbans in Bagerhat district in the month of November was suddenly badly affected due to the prevailing inclement weather for the last few days.
Huge quantity of fish caught from the sea could not be dried during the period owing to rains and cloudy sky accompanied with gusty wind prevailed during the period. As a result, fish worth Taka more than 50 lakh were damaged.
Fishermen and fish traders said , not only that but also more than 50 temporary structures of the fishermen erected on the Chars (islands) were damaged by the gusty wind. So, the fishermen and fish traders incurred a huge loss. On the other hand, during the bad weather the sea became hostile and for that reason catching of fish from the deep sea was seriously hampered.
It is learnt that the fish drying season normally starts in the first week of October every year and it continues till the middle of March but due to the imposing ban on the catching of hilsa and fish of other species in the sea and Sundarban forest in the month of October on the occasion of hilsa breeding period and Rash fair at Dubla by the concerned authorities. So, this year the season started in the first week of the month of November at Dubla fish drying village in Sundarbans forest and consequently, it is apprehended that the production of dry fish was reduced to some extent and the forest department may be deprived from the target of the expected revenue. At the time of collection of sea fish and drying them at least 15 to 20 thousand fishermen, fish drying labourers and dry fish traders known as Bahaddars assemble on the bank of the Bay of Bengal. After catching the sea fishes they are dried in the sun shine at the different fish drying villages of Dubla.
Md Kamal Ahmed, General Secretary , Dubla fisherman village told, huge quantity of fish hanged with shelfs for drying them in the shun shine could not be stored for want of shelters as they were damaged by the gusty wind during the period. As a result, that half dried fish was attacked with bacteria and was damaged. Consequently, both fishermen and fish traders will incur heavy loss.
Bahaddar Ledu Mia (hails from Chattogram), a dry fish trader of Dubla dry fish village disclosed, if the dried fish comes to the contract with rain water it will be attacked with bacteria and ultimately it will be damaged. Such incidents happened here in many cases. So, almost every fisherman and dry fish traders incurred loss of at least Tk 2 to 2.5 lakh, though it was expected that they will earn a lot of profit in this season.
Md. Rafiq, Commander of a contingent of Coast Guard at Alorkol (of Dubla fisherman village) disclosed, a lot of dried fish was damaged and a good number of temporary shelters of the fishermen were blown away by gusty wind accompanied with rains. He added, according to a report, at the time of catching fish in the sea two fishing trawlers were capsized due to cyclonic weather
Md. Joynal Abedin, ACF of the Eastern Division of Sundarbans and Ranger of Sharankhola told, Dubla dry fish village was badly affected due to the cyclonic weather accompanied with rains. He apprehended, if such weather continues both fishermen and fish traders will incur a heavy loss and consequently, the forest department will be deprived of targeted revenue.
Drying of fish that started in a good and favourable weather at the different fish drying villages of Dublarchar situated in Sundarbans on the bank of the Bay of Bengal under the Eastern Division of Sundarbans in Bagerhat district in the month of November was suddenly badly affected due to the prevailing inclement weather for the last few days.
Huge quantity of fish caught from the sea could not be dried during the period owing to rains and cloudy sky accompanied with gusty wind prevailed during the period. As a result, fish worth Taka more than 50 lakh were damaged.
Fishermen and fish traders said , not only that but also more than 50 temporary structures of the fishermen erected on the Chars (islands) were damaged by the gusty wind. So, the fishermen and fish traders incurred a huge loss. On the other hand, during the bad weather the sea became hostile and for that reason catching of fish from the deep sea was seriously hampered.
It is learnt that the fish drying season normally starts in the first week of October every year and it continues till the middle of March but due to the imposing ban on the catching of hilsa and fish of other species in the sea and Sundarban forest in the month of October on the occasion of hilsa breeding period and Rash fair at Dubla by the concerned authorities. So, this year the season started in the first week of the month of November at Dubla fish drying village in Sundarbans forest and consequently, it is apprehended that the production of dry fish was reduced to some extent and the forest department may be deprived from the target of the expected revenue. At the time of collection of sea fish and drying them at least 15 to 20 thousand fishermen, fish drying labourers and dry fish traders known as Bahaddars assemble on the bank of the Bay of Bengal. After catching the sea fishes they are dried in the sun shine at the different fish drying villages of Dubla.
Md Kamal Ahmed, General Secretary , Dubla fisherman village told, huge quantity of fish hanged with shelfs for drying them in the shun shine could not be stored for want of shelters as they were damaged by the gusty wind during the period. As a result, that half dried fish was attacked with bacteria and was damaged. Consequently, both fishermen and fish traders will incur heavy loss.
Bahaddar Ledu Mia (hails from Chattogram), a dry fish trader of Dubla dry fish village disclosed, if the dried fish comes to the contract with rain water it will be attacked with bacteria and ultimately it will be damaged. Such incidents happened here in many cases. So, almost every fisherman and dry fish traders incurred loss of at least Tk 2 to 2.5 lakh, though it was expected that they will earn a lot of profit in this season.
Md. Rafiq, Commander of a contingent of Coast Guard at Alorkol (of Dubla fisherman village) disclosed, a lot of dried fish was damaged and a good number of temporary shelters of the fishermen were blown away by gusty wind accompanied with rains. He added, according to a report, at the time of catching fish in the sea two fishing trawlers were capsized due to cyclonic weather
Md. Joynal Abedin, ACF of the Eastern Division of Sundarbans and Ranger of Sharankhola told, Dubla dry fish village was badly affected due to the cyclonic weather accompanied with rains. He apprehended, if such weather continues both fishermen and fish traders will incur a heavy loss and consequently, the forest department will be deprived of targeted revenue.
