Prof ABM Mosharraf Husain, Bagerhat :
Fishermen of India are now allegedly engaged in catching fish with hundred of most ultra modern trawling ships in the Bay of Bengal after intruding the water territory of Bangladesh illegally and unabatedly.
In this way Indian fishermen are catching huge quantities of different species of fish both big and small every day from the bay. As a result, acute scarcity of fish has been prevailing at the five islands under Dubla Dry fish village in the Eastern Division of Sundarban forest in Bagerhat , adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. Consequently, the dry fish traders of Dubla are incurring huge loss of Tk several crores.
On the other hand, following the acute scarcity of fish in the sea , a disappointment was created in the minds of thousand of fishermen of Dubla dry fish village instead of glow of enthusiasm. It is learnt from the fish traders, Bahaddars (chief fish traders) and forest department source, availability of fish is more abundant in the bay within the territory of Bangladesh than that of in Indian Territory. So, the Indian fishermen very often intrude the water territory of Bangladesh with hundred of trawling ships both big and small equipped with modern fishing devices and catch huge quantities of fishes of both big and small sized. As a result, fishes are not caught in the nets of Bangladeshi fishermen.
Besides, due to some natural calamities and severe cold spell dry fish village became fishless in the current dry fish season. As a result, bamboo-structures erected by the fishermen at Dubla dry fish village for drying up fish are now left abandoned (without fish). Every year the Government used to earn several crs of Taka as revenue from this sector. It is the biggest source of earning revenue from Sundarban forest.
Md. Farid Ahmed, Manager of Dubla Fisherman Group said, I have been associated with this fish drying business for the last 45 years. But I did not find such a big sect back in the dry fish business of Dubla dry fish village previously. He added, in the last November 2/3 natural calamities damaged fish worth at least Tk.15 crs. On the other hand, due to the easy entrance of Indian fishermen in our water territory and catching fish from there with hundred of modern trawling ships Bangladeshi fishermen cannot cast their nets in the Bay of Bengal. Whenever Bangladeshi fishermen cast fishing nets in the by the Indian fishermen attack them and force them to un-cast their nets. Ledu Bahaddar of Majherkilla under Dubla Dry fish village disclosed, on February 01 when fishermen belonging to Mujahar Bahaddar and me were returning to dry fish village after catching fish from the sea Indian fishermen attacked their 2 trawlers, beat the fishermen and looted fish and fishing nets worth Tk.15 lakh from the trawlers. He added, such incidents are being happened almost daily. But no step was taken from any quarters to save the Bangladeshi fishermen from the hands of Indian fishermen.
Sukumar Bahaddar, Mujhar Bahaddar and Sudhir Bahaddar of Majherkilla and Shiba Biswas Bahhdar and some others of Alorkol dry fish village told, Indian fishermen very often intrude the water territory of Bangladesh and catch fish from there. But our fish traders after investing a big amount of cash Taka in fish drying business canto catch fish form our water territory. So, they are now perplexed. They apprehended, if the easy entrance of Indian fishermen in the water territory of Bangladesh cannot be stopped the dry fish business of Dubla dry fish village will be completely ruined up in near future. They also added, Indian fishermen enter the water territory of Bangladesh by innumerable modern trawling ships and catch huge quantities of fish within a short time. As a result, some dry fish traders already incurred heavy loss of Tk 10 to 90 lakh. The dry fish season will be ended on or before 31st March. It is quite impossible to make up their losses during this short period of time (from February to March). So they urged the Government earnestly to take necessary steps to check the easy entrance of Indian fishermen along with modern trawling ships in the water territory of Bangladesh in order to survive the traditional Dubla dry fish village, one of the main sources of earning revenue.
Forest Ranger Md. Mokammel Kabir, OC of Dubla Dry fish village patrol outpost said, a sum of over Tk 3 . 2 cr was earned from the dry fish village in the last year. But in this year the revenue may be reduced to 50 per cent due to the scarcity of fish. Md. Mahmud Hasan, DFO , Eastern Division of Sundarbans told the newsmen, I came to know the matter through the fishermen. But it is not possible on the part of the forest department to go the impassable sea and take action.
Captain M Minarul Haq, Zonal Commander of the Coast Guard , Western Zone said, being informed of the matter step was already taken by the Coastguards. Moreover, after discussing the matter with the Navy and Indian coastguard necessary step will be taken.
It may be mentioned here that dry fish are produced at Meheralir Char, Majherkilla, Alorkol, Shelar Char and Nariklbaria (islands) within Dubla fisherman village (patrol) outpost under Sharankhola Forest Range in the Eastern Division of Sundarban forest, adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. Every year several thousand dry fish traders and fisherman assemble at those islands from Chittgagong, Barguna, Pirojpur, Bagerhat, Kulna, Satkhira etc. districts in the middle of the month of October, erect bamboo-structures there in order to dry up the fish in the sunshine and construct temporary shelters for their dwelling purposes.
But the production of dry fish virtually starts just with the beginning of the month of November and it continues till the month of March.
This traditional fish drying business has been going on at Dubla fisherman village for the last 50 years. Layatta, Churi (sword), Parshe, Rupchanda, shrimps and other species of sea fishers are dried up there in the sunshine. Those dry fishes of salt water of the Bay of Bengal are very tasteful. They have good reputation and demand in the country and abroad.
Fishermen of India are now allegedly engaged in catching fish with hundred of most ultra modern trawling ships in the Bay of Bengal after intruding the water territory of Bangladesh illegally and unabatedly.
In this way Indian fishermen are catching huge quantities of different species of fish both big and small every day from the bay. As a result, acute scarcity of fish has been prevailing at the five islands under Dubla Dry fish village in the Eastern Division of Sundarban forest in Bagerhat , adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. Consequently, the dry fish traders of Dubla are incurring huge loss of Tk several crores.
On the other hand, following the acute scarcity of fish in the sea , a disappointment was created in the minds of thousand of fishermen of Dubla dry fish village instead of glow of enthusiasm. It is learnt from the fish traders, Bahaddars (chief fish traders) and forest department source, availability of fish is more abundant in the bay within the territory of Bangladesh than that of in Indian Territory. So, the Indian fishermen very often intrude the water territory of Bangladesh with hundred of trawling ships both big and small equipped with modern fishing devices and catch huge quantities of fishes of both big and small sized. As a result, fishes are not caught in the nets of Bangladeshi fishermen.
Besides, due to some natural calamities and severe cold spell dry fish village became fishless in the current dry fish season. As a result, bamboo-structures erected by the fishermen at Dubla dry fish village for drying up fish are now left abandoned (without fish). Every year the Government used to earn several crs of Taka as revenue from this sector. It is the biggest source of earning revenue from Sundarban forest.
Md. Farid Ahmed, Manager of Dubla Fisherman Group said, I have been associated with this fish drying business for the last 45 years. But I did not find such a big sect back in the dry fish business of Dubla dry fish village previously. He added, in the last November 2/3 natural calamities damaged fish worth at least Tk.15 crs. On the other hand, due to the easy entrance of Indian fishermen in our water territory and catching fish from there with hundred of modern trawling ships Bangladeshi fishermen cannot cast their nets in the Bay of Bengal. Whenever Bangladeshi fishermen cast fishing nets in the by the Indian fishermen attack them and force them to un-cast their nets. Ledu Bahaddar of Majherkilla under Dubla Dry fish village disclosed, on February 01 when fishermen belonging to Mujahar Bahaddar and me were returning to dry fish village after catching fish from the sea Indian fishermen attacked their 2 trawlers, beat the fishermen and looted fish and fishing nets worth Tk.15 lakh from the trawlers. He added, such incidents are being happened almost daily. But no step was taken from any quarters to save the Bangladeshi fishermen from the hands of Indian fishermen.
Sukumar Bahaddar, Mujhar Bahaddar and Sudhir Bahaddar of Majherkilla and Shiba Biswas Bahhdar and some others of Alorkol dry fish village told, Indian fishermen very often intrude the water territory of Bangladesh and catch fish from there. But our fish traders after investing a big amount of cash Taka in fish drying business canto catch fish form our water territory. So, they are now perplexed. They apprehended, if the easy entrance of Indian fishermen in the water territory of Bangladesh cannot be stopped the dry fish business of Dubla dry fish village will be completely ruined up in near future. They also added, Indian fishermen enter the water territory of Bangladesh by innumerable modern trawling ships and catch huge quantities of fish within a short time. As a result, some dry fish traders already incurred heavy loss of Tk 10 to 90 lakh. The dry fish season will be ended on or before 31st March. It is quite impossible to make up their losses during this short period of time (from February to March). So they urged the Government earnestly to take necessary steps to check the easy entrance of Indian fishermen along with modern trawling ships in the water territory of Bangladesh in order to survive the traditional Dubla dry fish village, one of the main sources of earning revenue.
Forest Ranger Md. Mokammel Kabir, OC of Dubla Dry fish village patrol outpost said, a sum of over Tk 3 . 2 cr was earned from the dry fish village in the last year. But in this year the revenue may be reduced to 50 per cent due to the scarcity of fish. Md. Mahmud Hasan, DFO , Eastern Division of Sundarbans told the newsmen, I came to know the matter through the fishermen. But it is not possible on the part of the forest department to go the impassable sea and take action.
Captain M Minarul Haq, Zonal Commander of the Coast Guard , Western Zone said, being informed of the matter step was already taken by the Coastguards. Moreover, after discussing the matter with the Navy and Indian coastguard necessary step will be taken.
It may be mentioned here that dry fish are produced at Meheralir Char, Majherkilla, Alorkol, Shelar Char and Nariklbaria (islands) within Dubla fisherman village (patrol) outpost under Sharankhola Forest Range in the Eastern Division of Sundarban forest, adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. Every year several thousand dry fish traders and fisherman assemble at those islands from Chittgagong, Barguna, Pirojpur, Bagerhat, Kulna, Satkhira etc. districts in the middle of the month of October, erect bamboo-structures there in order to dry up the fish in the sunshine and construct temporary shelters for their dwelling purposes.
But the production of dry fish virtually starts just with the beginning of the month of November and it continues till the month of March.
This traditional fish drying business has been going on at Dubla fisherman village for the last 50 years. Layatta, Churi (sword), Parshe, Rupchanda, shrimps and other species of sea fishers are dried up there in the sunshine. Those dry fishes of salt water of the Bay of Bengal are very tasteful. They have good reputation and demand in the country and abroad.
