Bagerhat Correspondent :
Fishermen on the coast are distraught due to one ban after another on fishing in the sea, rivers and Sundarbans. There is some kind of blockade based on the season almost all year round.
Amidst all these blockades, fishermen do not have much opportunity to fish. As a result, they cannot even run their families.
MonglaUpazila Senior Fisheries Officer Md. Zahidul Islam said that special combing operations are conducted for 15 days in January and 15 days in February every year. Fishermen do not get any assistance during the illegal net campaign.
Besides, fishing in the sea is closed for 58 days every year from April 15 to June 11.
These 58 days are the breeding season of all species of fish in the sea. During this season, no fisherman can fish any species in the sea.
And every year in October, there is a blockade in the sea and rivers for 22 days. During these 22 days, a campaign is conducted to preserve the mother Hilsa.
During these 22 days, fishermen are prohibited from casting all types of nets and fishing in the sea and rivers.
On the other hand, fishing is banned from November 1 to June 30 every year. During this time, the JhatkaHilsa is preserved.
During this long period of ban, card-holding fishermen receive rice assistance in two phases. In the first phase, fishermen receive 80 kg of rice and in the second phase, 80 kg of rice.
Local fishermen ZahidBepari, ChayanBiswas and SirajSikder told, our ancestors also used to sail boats and nets in the river.
We are also doing the same. But now there is no fish in the river like before. We cannot survive with the rice assistance we receive during the ban. It is very difficult.
BidyutMandal, President of the Mongla branch of the National Fishermen’s Association said, there are about 30,000 fishermen in this area.
Out of which 15,000 fishermen are eligible to be registered. But there are a little more than 6,000 registered fishermen here. The rest keep applying but are not getting cards.
Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Md. Jahidul Islam said, during the ban imposed by the Fisheries Department, fishermen are given rice assistance.
However, during the ban imposed by the Forest Department, fishermen are not given anything.
However, it is hoped that fishermen will receive some assistance from the Forest Department from next year.
