Home ›› 31 Jul 2021 ›› News
Abdur Razzak Sohel
With countless rivers and canals across Bangladesh along with a vast marine environment, fish is an integral part of Bengali cuisine as hardly any Bengali individual can think of their meal without a dish of fish.
Per capita annual fish consumption of Bengalis is 19.71kg as rice and fish constitutes an important part of Bengali food culture and it coined the phrase "machhe bhate bangali," — fish and rice make a Bengali.
Fish is the primary source of animal protein for Bengalis as it provides 80 per cent of the animal protein intake.
The gateway of fish to Dhaka
Dhaka residents are totally dependent on the countryside for their daily supply of fish and for the past 171 years Swarighat acts the gateway of fish to Dhaka and remained the key wholesale fish market in the capital bridging the wholesalers and retailers.
Established in 1850 on the bank of the Buriganga in the old town of Dhaka, Swarighat is one of the oldest markets in Bangladesh. The market on around two bighas of land operates for just a few hours in the morning.
Zakir Hossain, 45, came from Bagerhat with a variety of fish and 80kg of shrimp to sell them at Swarighat. He collected the fishes and shrimps from fishing enclosures in Khulna. Stockists and retailers surrounded him as soon he unwrapped his shrimp basket and began bargaining for his entire lot. Finally, he sold the shrimp at Tk 800 a kg.
“I bought 80 kg of shrimp from different enclosures in Khulna at Tk 600 a kg. I sold them at Tk 800 a kg. There is good demand of shrimp here,” a smiling Zakir told The Business Post.
Myanmar national Sam Sin Thum came to the market from Teknaf port with 300 kg of frozen ruhi and katla in 15 boxes. The fish was imported from Myanmar by a Bangladeshi firm Sun Moon Enterprise.
As he unboxed the large carps weighing between seven and 15 kgs at Mamun Bepari’s arat, other wholesalers rushed there and he sold the entire lot at Tk 54,000.
“As a representative of M/s Sun Moon Enterprise, I come here often to sell fish,” said Sam.
Like Zakir and Sam, many others from different part of the country, rush to Swarighat every day before the sun rises. Retailers from different localities in Dhaka collect fish from here and sell those in local kitchen markets.
The stockists, better known as aratdars, at the market take two to four per cent commission.
Despite being involved in other businesses, some stockists continue to operate fish business here to carry on the legacy of their ancestors.
Golam Hossain is involved in the business for around 30 years. “I have other businesses like plastic goods but my father and grandfather did this business for a quite long time. So, I could not leave the business. I run business to respect the tradition,” he said.
“I have come here within 5:00am regularly compromising my sleep,” he added.
Md Shafiqul Islam, President of Champatali Machh Ghat Parichalana Committee, said this market meets the major share of Dhaka’s fish demand.
Wholesalers and retailers collect fishes from here and supply those at Karwan Bazar, Dhanmondi, New Market, Mirpur, Mohakhali, Lalbagh, Hazaribagh, Mohammadpur, Chankharpul and Mohakhali, said Shafiqul.
Around 3 to 4 tonnes of fish are sold here daily, he said adding that daily sales were decreasing at the market as time passes.
“Once all the fishes sold here were absolutely of the natural breed. Now, 50 per cent of fishes sold here are natural and the remaining are cultivated,” he added.
Promoting employment
According to Shafiqul Islam, 55 to 60 stockists operate their business at the market as commission agents of sellers and hundreds of retailers collect fish from them.
Septuagenarian Lankashmay Barman retails fish for the past 55 years. He collects fish from Swarighat and sells those at Naya Bazar kitchen market.
“I have to maintain the family comprising my wife, three daughters and a son with the retail proceedings,” he added.
Nazma Akter runs a catering service at Debidas Ghat Lane. She collects fish for her business from Swarighat as she finds it cheaper there than any other market in the city.
“My husband cannot work as he is now physically impaired. I have two baby girls. My family depends on my income alone,” she added.
High demand for natural fishes
Despite being pricy, fishes of natural breed from river, lake and sea are more on demand at the market. The demand for fishes from rivers is very high.
Kamrul Islam, a worker from a super shop, was looking for natural breed fish. “Our business is going well as we sell only natural fishes,” he said.
“The wholesalers often fight among them to collect natural fishes. Those who sell natural fishes get a handsome price,” he added.
Ratna Ghosh, 35, a housewife, came from Lalbagh bought hilsa and shrimp. She said she prefers natural fishes to the cultivated ones as she thinks the natural ones carry more food value, makes people healthy and provides immunity.
Comparatively less price
Traders and buyers at Swarighat get an extra benefit as it is situated on a riverbank that reduces transport cost for wholesalers. Prices of fish vary between Swarighat and other markets in the city by Tk 50 to Tk 100 per kg.
Tania Begum, a housewife living in Lalbagh, said she always buy fish from the market as the price was cheaper than other markets.
Dadan Majhi a wholesaler from Bhola, said he always sell fishes at Swarighat as it is easier to carry fishes to Swarighat from Bhola through waterways and the transport cost was much lesser than the highway.
Losing steam as time goes
Once Swarighat was the only wholesale fish market in Dhaka. Now wholesaling spread to Kawran Bazar, Jatrabari, Mirpur and Tongi. “Once, daily sales at the market were between Tk 1.5 crore to Tk 2 crore which now went down to Tk 25 lakh to Tk 30 lakh,” said Md Shafiqul Islam, the president of the market management committee.
Once trawlers filled hilsa came to Swarighat from Hatia, Bhola, and Charfassion on Meghna estuary. The usual supply of hilsa was around 250 tonnes then but the offshore fishermen no longer come to Swarighat, said Md Shafikul Islam. They prefer local depots.
Md Manjur Ahamed, resides beside the market since 1945. He said hundreds of stockists were involved with the market but now the number of buyers and sellers reduced to half. Big boats full of fishes used to anchor here. The visually pleasing scenario no longer exists. “Fishes were exported to India and other countries from the market. Now we see the market is full of imported fishes from India, Myanmar, Oman, Arab Emirate. That is the visible difference between the past and present,” he said.
How the market runs
Established in 1850, the market is now run on around 2 bighas of land for just a few hours in the morning. Seventy-one local elites control the market where around 55 t0 60 stockists play the key role in the fish trade as commission agents. There are no permanent structures but few sheds at the market.
Around 500 wholesalers come to the market every day and the daily sales range between Tk 25 to Tk 30 lakh.
The fish trading system in the market is quite different from other markets where medium and large size fishes are sorted by species and size and are sold in hali (four pieces) basis. Most small size fishes are sold in maund (37.6 kg) basis.
Prices at the market are determined through a competitive informal auction. The stockists get two to four per cent commission for selling the fishes. some of the stockists also act as wholesalers.
There are also some retailers at Swarighat to serve consumers.
Retailer Md Joynal sells fish here since 1999. If he buys fish from wholesalers at Tk 1,500 he sells the same fish to general people at Tk 1,800.
Problems and demands of the locals
There are no stalls in the market and the infrastructure and unhygienic condition. The drainage system and sanitation facilities are also poor. Buyers and sellers have to wade through mud. The market also lacks electricity, fish preservation or freezing facilities.
The polluted dirty water of Buriganga is used for making ice and cleaning fish.
Shafikul Islam called on the authorities concerned to protect the market as it carries a long history. Steps should be taken to protect it and ensure freezing facility, electricity supply and developing infrastructure.
