Dried fishes collecting to begin in Sundarbans from November 1

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Ahsanul Amin George, Khulna: Dried fishes collecting will start in the Sundarbans from November 1, 2021 which will be continued till the month of March, said sources of the forest division.

Festival tinge are prevailing at dried fish Polly (Area) at different points in the Sundarbans. Much more dried fishes would be possible to produce this year than that of the last year, fishermen expect. For this reason, more revenue collection was realized in the mean time, said Forest Division.

Every year from the month of October to March, around 20 thousand fishermen of 6 Chars of the Bay and Dublarchar, Mongla, Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira areas produce dried fishes by collecting fishes from different areas. The fishermen make temporary habitats in the Dried fish polly. They collect Coral, Shrimp, Chala, Loitya, Rupchanda, Kangkon and Med fishes from the sea and then they dry them. Many of the fishermen sell dried fishes from the chars. Some of them bring the dried fishes to nearby markets and sell there. Through traders those dried fishes are exported at home and abroad.

Sources of the East Division of the Sundarbans said, permission was given at Alorkole (Dublar Char), Meher Alir Char, Office Fort, Majhee’s fort , Narkelbaria and Shellar Char while 52 depots, 60 shops of necessary commodities and 7 floating shops were set.

Sources further said, till December, 2018, the revenues of Taka 69, 83,044 was realized and vats of taka 10, 47,456 were also realized while taka 33, 78,036 was realized in the last year during the full monsoon and the revenues of taka 3.42 crores werw realized in the last dried fishes collecting season from Dublarchar .

Fishermen said, due to attack by the forest robbers, trespass of Indian fishermen, they could not collect sufficient fishes in a few years ago and as such the traders face loss at that time.

With a view to overcome their loss, they applied for time extension. Of coarse, disturbances of the robbers are not found this year and for this reason we have collected fishes according to our opportunities, said Mobarak, a fisherman of village Perikhali in Rampal upazila of Bagerhat duistrict.

Md. Jahirul Islam, another dried fish trader of Alorkole echoed with Sohag. Md. Jalala Sheikh , general secretary of Jatiya Motsojibi Samity, Mongla unit said, fishermen are ready to go for collecting dried fishes.

Kamaluddin Ahmed, leader of Dubla fishermen group said, in the last year we had faced disturbances of the pirates during the monsoon. Due to surrendering of the pirates and increasing activities of the administration including law enforcers, the fishermen have collected fishes peacefully this year, he added.

Mohammad Belayet Hossain , Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the East Division of the Sundarbans said, since the weather is favorable and there are no disturbances of the forest robbers, the fishermen have collected much fishes this year and as such the revenue collection has increased. He said adding that we expect triplex revenue collection this year than that of the last year.

He said adding that around 10 thousands fishermen may collect dried fishes by bringing around 1500 trawlers this year.

Members of Forest Division , Rab and Coastguard will be deployed for the security of the fishermen during the cillection of dried fishes.

About 6 lacs people directly or indirectly depended on the resources of Sundarbans in a network of numerous Sundary and big streams and creeks in the adverse bioclimatic of mangrove forests infested with fierce wild animals-tiger in land and crocodile in water struggling for Survival.

There are more than 375 wild life species in SRF which include 35 reptiles, 315 birds and 42 mammals. The major wildlife in Sundarbans are the Royal Bengal Tiger, Spotted deer, Wild Boar, Monkey, Estuarine crocodile, python, Turtle, Dolphin, Otter, Jungle, Cast, Fishing cat and a Variety of bird species.

It may be mentioned in this connection that the UNESCO World Heritage committee declared Sundarbans as its 798th heritage site on the 6th December 1997 under the categories (ii) and (iv) of the convention. The prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ceremonially unveiled the world Heritage plaque on February 4, 1999 which includes three wild life Sanctuaries with an area of 1,39,700 hectare.

DFO Belayet Hossain further said, Through a video conference on November 1, 2018, the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared the Sundarbans as “pirates-free”. After four decades for declaring the Sundarbans as pirates free, collecting of dried fishes have increased since the last year. Fishermen collected then around 15 thousand Metric tonnes of sea-fishes, 4000 Metric tonnes of shrimps and a lot of Shila crabs which were dried and sold both at home and abroad. A huge amount of foreign currency earning is possible by exporting dried fishes, he added.