Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
At least 2,100 fishermen were sentenced to different jail terms and others fined worth Tk 44 lakh for catching Hilsa defying the government ban during the last 19 days till Thursday.
Many fishermen continued to catch Hilsa defying the ongoing ban (from October 1 to October 22) on netting, selling and transporting of the fish to protect mother Hilsa till spawning.
They have netted tonnes of hilsa, particularly during the night, in the Meghna, Kirtankhola, Bishkhali, Kalabadar and Arial Kha rivers in Barisal division, the Padma in Rajshahi, Munshiganj and the Meghna in Narayanganj in last 19 days, our locals correspondent said.
Meanwhile, about 50 metric tones of seized Hilsa have been distributed among local religious institutes, including orphans and madrashas, it was learnt.
According to them, more than three lakh fishermen have failed to enlist their names for the government compensation. A section of deprived fishermen carried attacks on some officers of Fisheries Deparetment and law enforcers for creating bar to catch Hilsa in the Padma River in Munshiganj and Manikganj districts, according to them.
Earlier, at least 20 officials of the department and some cop members were assaulted by the angry fishermen in Bhola, Barisal, Patuakhali, Narayanganj, Manikganj and some other districts, they said.
“At least 2,100 fishermen were sent to jail and others were fined Tk 44 lakh for catching Hilsa during the ban period,” Md Mahbub Ul Haque, Assistant Director, Fresh Water Prawn Culture Extension Project of Fisheries Department, told The New nation on Wednesday.
We have taken a decision to distribute 7,689.24 metric tonnes rice among 3,84,462 fishermen out 5.5 lakh applicants in 112 upazilas in 25 districts, the fisheries official said. Meanwhile, fishermen were yet to get the promised food support in compensation from the government for complying with the ban. Each of the 5.5 lakh fishermen is supposed to get 20kg rice in compensation, he added.
Visiting Gora Padma area in Barguna’s Patharghata upazila on Wednesday, our correspondent saw a group of fishermen on a trawler netting fish at the mouth of the Bishkhali River. They caught a good quantity of Hilsa there.
One of the fishermen said they were catching fish only to run their families.
“How can we survive if we can’t fish and also don’t get any food support from the government?” asked Shahadad Hossain, a fisherman of Chandramobhon village in Barisal Sadar.
“I have to pass my days in hardship during the ban period as there is not enough food in my house,” said Md Delowar, a fisherman in Nalbunia of Nalchhity, who did not get any kind of help from the government.
“Hilsa fishing is the only way of earning my livelihood, so I am bound to do it during the ban period for my survival,” said Jakir Hosain, a fisherman of Ilisha area in Bhola Sadar.
“I need three kg of rice and other necessities every day, but I will get only 20 kg of rice for the 22 days. If I don’t go for fishing, my family members will starve,” said a fisherman of the same area, adding that he gets help from the government, but not at the right time.
As many as 2,27,943 fishermen are getting government support out of 3,16,044 registered fishermen in the division during the ongoing ban, said Md Bazlur Rashid, Director of the Fisheries Department of Barisal division.
Three mobile courts sentenced 30 fishermen to a 10-day imprisonment each for catching hilsa in the Padma River in Faridpur district defying the ongoing government ban, said Executive Magistrate Sajal Chandra Sheel.
“Every year, the government helps the fishermen during the ban, but they have not received help as yet this season,” said Union Parishad Member Nurul Alam of Nalbunia under Ranapasha union in Nalchhity in Jhalokathi district.
“I have got 13 cards for distribution among 13 families, while there are 35 families in my ward,” he said.
Meanwhile, three fisheries officials were injured following the attack on them by the fishermen at Louhajang upazila in Munshiganj district around 5:00am on Wednesday, said, Sarjit Kumar Ghosh, Sub Inspector of Maua River Police.
They injured are Kamrul Hasan, Senior Fisheries Officer (FO), Idris Talukder, Assistant FO, and Rasel Molla, Fisheries Extension Officer.
The government has imposed ban on the catching, selling and transportation of Hilsa for 22 days from October 1 to 22, that is known as the peak-breeding season of Hilsa. Round 4.5 lakh tonnes of hilsa were caught last year and the number might exceed 5 lakh tonnes in the current year.
