Smart fish market launched in Rajshahi

An environment-friendly fish market has been launched in Rajshahi for the first time aimed at selling hygienic and harmful elements-free fish.

Established at Kharkhari Bazar under Paba upazila in the district, the market is now in operation for public use, especially for environment-friendly fish farmers, in the region.

On behalf of its Sustainable Enterprise Project (SEP), Ashrai, a non-government development organisation, built the market financially supported by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and the World Bank.

Ashrai Executive Director Professor Ahsan Ali and Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer Muhammad Asaduzzaman addressed the opening ceremony as chief and special guests respectively on Tuesday.

SEP Project Manager Anwar Hossain, Environment Officer Arafat Islam, Documentation Officer Syed Tanvir Islam and Technical Officer Saad Ahmad also spoke on the occasion.

Professor Ahsan Ali told the ceremony that the fish market will remain functioning every day coping with the gradually rising yield of fish together with expanding its capacity to deal around 50 to 60 tonnes daily.

Various need-based physical infrastructures, including an overhead shed and bottom platform in 12 rooms, a hygienic toilet and a dustbin for waste management were developed.

The drainage system and water supply facility were improved in addition to the refurbishment of market shops and re-construction of 15 fish preservation tanks.

Fish farmers and traders were given different kinds of amenities, including digital meters for measuring, personal protection equipment for personal safety, easy access and ice for preservation, and toilets for maintaining hygienic and postharvest safe management.

The fish market has also been enriched with LED lights and facilities like washrooms; granite stands for fish-carrying vehicles, storage rooms and a stockiest room.

Prof Ahsan opined that the infrastructural installations will infuse dynamism into the activities of around 10 thousand fish farmers in the region in terms of environment-friendly fish farming.

Apart from this, the promotional activities inspire the target group of people towards transportation of live and safe fish food to the consumers’ level.

As a whole, the project is intended to build an environmentally friendly fish farming industry and improve the lives of fish farmers by creating a large marketplace of their production in the context of international standards.