Lobsters, shrimps, white fishes worth about Tk.2 cr flooded in Bagerhat
Bagerhat Correspondent :
Lobsters, shrimps and white fishes worth about TK.2 cros were washed away when several thousand fish farms and ponds were submerged with incessant and torrential rains accompanied with tidal serge in the last week of the month (August).
According to a source of Bagerhat District Fishery Office, some 4 thousand 2 hundred 30 fish farms in Bagerhat district were badly affected with the recent heavy shower accompanied with tidal surge of the rivers and canals following a depression formed in the north Bay of Bengal.
As a result, owners and fish farmers of the district lost fish worth Tk, 1 (01) crore 78 lakh 34 thousand.
Out of them 375 fish farms in Bagerhat Sadar Upazila, 640 fish farms in Kachua Upazila, 100 in Sharankhola Upazila, 1,540 in Rampal Upazila, 855 in Morrelganj Upazila and 720 in Mongla Upazila.
Besides this, a good number of affected fish farms and ponds were not included into the survey done by the district fishery department as demanded by the fish cultivators.
Kabir Hossain, a fish cultivator of village Khegraghat within Dema Union under Bagerhat Sadar Upazila claimed, lobsters, shrimps and white fishes cultivated in my 20 Bighas lands in Dema bill (marshy lands) were washed away by the incessant and torrential rains.
Consequently, I incurred a loss of Tk.2 lakh.
He added, with the rising of water level the fish farms were encircled with nylon nets. But due to the strong current of water both the nets and fishes of the fish farms were washed away.
Shaikh Jubayer Hossain, a fish farmer of village Taltala within Baintala Union under Rampal Upazila told the Bagerhat district based correspondent of the New Nation, about a-week long heavy shower caused very loss as the encircled embankments of my fish farms were broken and different spices of fish were washed away.
Fakir Abdullah, seating UP Chairman of Bainmtala Union under Rampal Upazila disclosed, maximum fish farms and ponds of my Union were submerged with water surge accompanied with incessant and torrential rains and fishes were washed away.
As a result, almost all the fish farmers of my Union incurred a heavy loss. So the affected fish farmers need financial help.
Shaikh Abu Syeed, a fish former of Bashtali area and former Vice-chairman of (Rampal) Upazila Parishad told, almost all the areas were mixed together with water and consequently, all fish farms went under water.
My all fish firms were submerged with rain water. As a result, the fish farmers including myself incurred a heavy loss. On the other hand, as there was no rain on the 8th August water began to recede and the numbers of water-marooned families are decreasing gradually.
Mohammad Masudur Rahma, Bagerhat District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer told, water began to recede the submerged roads and areas of the affected Upazilas of the district.
The Officer expected, if the fair weather remains for a week the affected areas will be normal.
S M Rasel, Distrct Fishery Officer, Bagerhat told, as per the primary assessment, some 4 thousand 2 hundred 30 fish farms of the district were damaged due to the heavy downpour accompanied with tidal surge and consequently, the affected fish farmers of the district incurred a heavy loss of Tk. 1 (one) crore 78 lakh 39 thousand. Besides this, information is being collected from the Upazilas.
The Officer added, the higher authorities are requested to extend their helping hands to the affected fish farmers so that they can make up their losses after cultivating fish in their fish farms once again.
