Home ›› 17 Oct 2021 ›› Nation
Thousands of fishermen in Barishal region are facing hardships as they cannot maintain their livelihoods properly due to a 22-day ban on fishing, which began on October 4.
The ban has adversely affected the local economy, said local sources.
Around 8,000 workers have become unemployed at Barishal Modern Fish Landing Centre and the wholesale market due to the government’s announcement to stop procurement, sale, stockpiling and supply of hilsa for 22 consecutive days.
The centre has been empty since October 4. Workers are spending idle time. The fishermen who have been unemployed are demanding government assistance.
Nirab Hossain Tutul, secretary of the Matsya Aratdar Association, said some of the 8,000 fish workers at the centre are fishing in the pond due to the ban while the rest are unemployed.
“Officially, only the fishermen are getting assistance while there is no help for workers. However, some large wholesalers are cooperating with the workers in various ways.”
According to the Barishal Divisional Fisheries Department, the government will provide assistance for 3,07,124 fishermen in six districts of the division during the ban.
A total of 6,942.48 tonnes of vulnerable group feeding (VGF) rice has been allotted, 20kg for each family.
But the fishermen said they had not yet got the 20kg rice. Fisherman Kanchan Dhali of Ulania village in Mehediganj upazila said he is living an inhuman life with his eight family members as there is no work.
“I went fishing in the river but the coastguard intervened. I cannot catch fish because of the ban. My health is not good. There is no work in the village. I am in hardship,” he added.
“I requested the government to help me by providing the VGF rice,” Kanchan also said.
Jumman Sheikh, a fisherman who fishes in the Tentulia River, said as fishing in the river had stopped, boats and trawlers were lying idle.
He said many fishermen like him had borrowed from money lenders. He appealed to the government for financial help during this crisis.
Bhola Small Fishermen’s Association President Ershad Ali said though the fishermen are spending their days in extreme hardship, they do not go fishing in the river in violation of the ban.
The lives of the fishermen have become miserable in the last few days, he added.
Anisur Rahman Talukder, deputy director of the Barishal division of the fisheries department, said legal action would be taken against anyone who would go to the river to catch fish during the hilsa breeding season.
“Besides, rice allotted for fishermen is being delivered to each upazila. Each fishing family will get 20kg rice. The upazila nirbahi officers will distribute the rice through the union parishad among the listed fishermen,” he said.
‘’Due to various steps taken by the government, the production of hilsa has increased in the last few years. We want to continue this trend,’’ he added.
Deputy Commissioner of Barishal Jasim Uddin Haider said the government would only help the fishermen who catch hilsa, and no decision had been made for the workers.
