Illegal snail collection earning source for hundreds

Despite being an illegal act, collecting and selling snails have become a major earning source for hundreds of people in Koyraupazila of Khulna.

According to the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, enacted in 2012 for the conservation and safety of biodiversity, forest, and wildlife of the country, collecting and selling snails and oysters is banned and a punishable offence, said upazila fisheries officials.

But violating the existing law, numerous people in the upazila are involved in the misconduct for earning their livelihood, collecting snails from canals and swamps of the upazila in broad daylight.

During a visit on Thursday morning, this correspondent saw that hundreds of locals irrespective of age were collecting snails from Shakbaria canal in the upazila, ignoring the law and the shivering cold of winter.

Children, teenagers, men, women, and even elderly people were collecting snails from a two-kilometer stretching portion of the canal to earn bread for their families. A good number of local women were also seen collecting snails.

Asked, all of them voiced the same and said that they were looking for snails as it provides handsome earnings. Despite the violation of law and the risk of getting injured during collection due to the sharp edges of the snails, they are collecting the snails in a trembling cold.

Upazila Fisheries Office sources said snails contribute significantly to creating a balanced ecosystem as they prevent water pollution by consuming waste and that is why they are called natural water filters.

HossainGazi, an elderly man, said that for the past couple of days he was having satisfactory earnings by collecting 70-80 kilograms of snails every day. 

Commenting about the cold weather, Gazi said, “The poor people do not have the luxury of staying at home in fear of winter. The key thing is that now I can earn some money through honesty.”

ShahinurRahman of Dewra village and his entire family collect snails. His son Ajmol sells those at Chandkhali Bazar in Paikgachhaupazila, 20 kilometres away from their village.

“We collected three to four maunds of snails and bought another 10-12 maunds from others to sell in the market. We have made satisfactory earnings,” said Ajmol.

A teenager Tamim collects 1.5 to 2 maunds of snails every day. “A week ago, I sold each kg of snails at Tk 4 and on Tuesday, I sold it at Tk 6 per kg,” he said.

A group of madrasa students, who were also collecting snails at the canal, said that they would arrange a picnic selling the snails.

MdAbarul from Joypur village has been collecting snails for a week at a stretch. On Thursday, he collected four maunds of snails in 3-4 hours. But recently the availability of snails has reduced, he said.

Several people from Ait village in Shimla union of the upazila said collecting snails becomes easier when the water level of the canal drops during low tide. One can earn Tk 600-700 working for 3-4 hours a day.

Hafijul Islam of Hadubon village said he buy snails from his area and sells them at Tk 300 to Tk 350 per maund in Paikgachhaupazila. “Earlier, snail collection was not very popular in his village; but in the past 15 days, an increasing number of people have started collecting snails after it was known that the venture is very profitable,” he said.

Several traders of Chandkhali Bazar in Paikgachhaupazila who have been buying snails for a long time, said that a large number of snails are available mainly during monsoon season. Many families in the coastal area depend solely on the sale of snails and oysters after collecting them from Sundarbans.

Mohobbat Ali, a local trader of Chandkhali Bazar, said bought 350 maunds of snails to prepare slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) from it and sell the produce in the markets.

Senior Fisheries Officer of KoyraupazilaMdAminulHaque said snails and oysters contribute significantly for securing a balanced ecosystem. Due to this, the snails are called natural filters although some small snails are harmful for fish farming.

Collecting snails and oysters is banned according to the wildlife preservation and security act and collecting and selling them is a punishable offence, he said.

PaikgachhaUpazilaNirbahi Officer Mamtaz Begum said she does not have any information regarding collecting and selling snails in Chandkhali Bazar. “I will take action after inquiring about the matter,” she added.