Due to the increased water level in Chalan Beel during monsoon, fish and fishing equipment trade has increased in the surrounding six districts of Rajshahi.
Fishing equipment makers of Rajshahi, Bogura, Pabna, Sirajganj, Natore and Naogaon are currently busy with their trade as the demand for traditional tools such as “kholsun” increases during monsoon.
Seasonal fishers of the region use these traps to fish in the wetlands, canals and rivers hoping to make additional income for their family.
In various areas of Chalan Beel, including Pabna’s Chatmohor and Vangura, Natore’s Gurudaspur, Baraigram and Singra, Sirajganj’s Tarash and Ullapar, and different upazilas of Naogaon, fishing trap makers are busy making traditional tools such as kholsun, locally known as chai and nets.
Kholsun trap is made of bamboo, yarn and palm tree fibre and is a popular fishing tool in the northern region. It is used primarily to catch small fish of domestic variety.
According to the makers, polymorph bamboo is used to make the trap. After retting it in water for about a week, barks are separated with a sickle and used to make the cage-like tool.
Some 10 to 15 haat (weekly market) including Pabna’s Chatmohar Rail Bazar, Natore's Chanchkoir, Kachikata, Chaikola, Mirzapur, Salanga and Naogaon are famous for selling kholsun.
The traders of these markets said that the price of bamboo-made fishing tools has increased significantly in recent years due to the rising prices of raw materials.
However, the demand for kholsun has not decreased. Rather, due to their quality, people from other districts including Dhaka, Sylhet, Noakhali, Mymensingh and Gaibandha come to buy the tools from Chalan Beel area.
Depending on their size, kholsun is sold between Tk 400-900.
A seller of Chatmohar railway market of Pabna said kholsun prices have doubled in the last few years and the sales decreased slightly due to the introduction of banned Chinese nets in the market.
Traders buying kholsun from Tarash, Gurdaspur and Salanga said kholsun, dhundi, bhair, bitti and other types of fishing gear made in the area are bought wholesale from Chatmohar railway market and sold in other markets.
A large fishing equipment haat is organised every Saturday and Tuesday in Chanchkoir of Natore’s Gurudaspur upazila.
Gurdaspur Upazila Awami League General Secretary and Dharabarisha Union Parishad Chairman Mo Abdul Matin said more than 8,000 people in the union are involved in making kholsun.
According to locals, the trap makers are primarily day labourers. Due to the lack of regular work during monsoons, they make a living by building fishing gear.
“Our family can make at least five-six kholsun per day. Those with more family members to help can easily make 10-15 traps daily. Each cost Tk 200-300 to make,” said Md Soleman Hossain of Dadua village of Gurdaspur upazila’s Dharabarisha union.
Apart from khulsun, other traps such as bharai sells for Tk 400, dhundi for Tk 360, bana for Tk 450, khadan for Tk 440 and khalai for Tk 320 at Chanchkoir haat.
Milan Ali, a wholesaler who came to Chanchkoir from Manikganj, said he buys fishing materials worth about Tk one lakh and sells them in different districts of the country including Dhaka. Apart from his expenses, he makes a profit of Tk 30,000 per week.
According to kholsun trader Md Muktar Hossain fishing equipment worth Tk 20 lakh is sold in Chanchkoir haat every week.
Some 125-130 families of Naogaon’s Manda upazila are dependent on kholsun making. These are primarily sold in the upazila’s Satihat market.
Kholsun artisans Shyamal Kumar and Haripad said their family members are involved in the trade and they collectively produce 10-12 kholsun per week. The products are sold in nearby markets including Satihat.
Gani, a buyer at the market said he uses kholsun to catch fish in the canal near his house.
“I get about one-three kg of fish per day. After keeping some for my family I sell the rest. The prices of these seasonal catches are higher than the common fish,” he added.
Naogaon’s Atrai upazila, known for its fish trade, has also seen a boost in fishing equipment trade during the season. Hundreds of kholsun are being sold every day in various markets such as Ahsanganj haat of the upazila.
Ekram Uddin of the upazila said due to the increase in raw material prices, kholsun prices have also increased.
Jamshed, a resident of Dighapatia area of Natore Sadar upazila, said he sold about two-three kg of small fish caught with kholsun for Tk 180-200 per kg.
Mintu, a fish trader at Sadar upazila Madrasa Market, said a wide variety of local fish are found in abundance in the waterbodies of the region for about three-four months of monsoon.
“Both the price and demand for fish caught in the beel are currently high. Smaller fish sell between Tk 200-600 per kg and the larger ones such as snakehead murrel go for Tk 600-800 per kg,” he added.
