Barishal Correspondent :
Twenty-five fishermen from the Patharghata coast in southern Barguna have yet to return home, even after a year since Cyclone Midhili struck the region.
The storm, which hit on November 17, 2023, caused three fishing trawlers—FB Mayer Doa, FB Elahi Borsha, and FB Tamanna—to sink in the Bay of Bengal.While most of the fishermen aboard the trawlers were rescued, either by swimming or being saved by other boats, 21 fishermen have been missing since the disaster.
Despite their efforts to hold onto hope, the families of the missing men continue to wait, unable to forget the image of their loved ones returning home with bags full of fish from the sea.Among the missing fishermen are: Abu Kalam (60), Mujibar Chaprashi (45), Yusuf Ali (35), Md. Jafar (35), Abdus Chattar (65), and many others, whose families remain in limbo, unsure whether their loved ones are alive or dead.
Raisa Moni, the daughter of missing fisherman Kalu Majhi, shared her grief, saying, “No one will understand how a year passes without him. My mother has been sick for a long time, and I can’t even afford her medicine.”Journalist Shafiqul Islam Khokon, who interviewed the families, described the ongoing sorrow, particularly in Ruhita village, where Yusuf’s brother, Yakub Ali, said, “My brother left behind two children. They cry all day, calling for their father. I don’t know if my brother is alive or dead.”
Coastal investigative journalist Shafiqul Islam Khokon expressed deep concern about the plight of fishermen, stating, “Despite the significant contribution of the fisheries sector to the GDP, no one is paying attention to the safety or livelihood of the fishermen.”
The local government has provided some support to the families, but Patharghata Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Roknuzzaman Khan emphasized the need for long-term solutions to address the livelihoods and safety of fishermen.
A memorial plaque with the names of missing fishermen from 1993 to 2024 has been erected in Patharghata as a tribute to those lost at sea.The tragedy continues to underscore the dangers faced by the coastal communities, who risk their lives for their livelihood in a vulnerable and often unprotected sector.
