Fish production in Chalan Beel on rise

FE Team | Published: September 08, 2025 21:06:39

NATORE, Sept 08 (BSS): Fish production has been increasing significantly in Chalan Beel, a famous fish reservoir of the country.
In the context of effective steps taken to protect fish resources and increasing the duration of floodplains due to heavy rainfall this season, production will increase by about 10 per cent this year.
Chalan Beel reservoir supplies 14 per cent of the country's total fish production by producing 65,000 tonnes of fish annually. Out of this, 8,000 tonnes of fish are available from Chalan Beel in Singra upazila of Natore, which is considered the heart of the Chalan Beel.
On the other hand, the total fish production in the country was 4.38 million tonnes in the 2023-2024 financial year.
The area of Chalan Beel, the largest beel in the country spread over nine upazilas of Natore, Pabna and Sirajganj districts, has shrunk to just 360 square kilometers at present. A total of 40 rivers, 50 large canals, 300 small canals, 20,000 government ponds and 70,000 privately owned ponds flow through the Chalan Beel, including Baral and Atrai.
The flow of these reservoirs brings life to the Chalan Beel. However, the water crisis of Padma and Jamuna rivers has had a negative impact on Chalan Beel in a large way. In particular, the Charghat regulator of the Padma river has created a water crisis in the flow of the Baral River.
In addition to the water crisis, unplanned construction of various infrastructures and the uncontrolled use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in cultivated land, ponds and lakes create a negative impact on fish production in the Chalan Beel.
Along with this, waste from thousands of rice mills, industries, cattle, goats, poultry and chicken farms is polluting the Beel.
Due to the construction of irrigation schemes on cropland, groundwater is being extracted extensively. As a result, there has been a negative impact on the fish stocks.
At one time, Chalan Beel was home to 151 species of native fish. The fame of fish such as Koi, Shing, Bacha, Pabda, Airh, Guchi-Baim of this Beel is all over the country. The almost extinct Shilon fish can be found in this Chalan Beel.
Crabs, snails and oysters are also famous in the vast wetlands of Chalan Beel.
It is said that Chital, Foli, Bheda, Baumach, Baim, Gurpoi fish cannot be seen. Eleven species of fish from Chalan Beel are now on the verge of extinction.
However, it is hopeful that work has started to protect the fish resources and aquatic animals of Chalan Beel. Public opinion is being formed through public awareness.
The Chalan Beel Biodiversity Protection Committee is playing a vocal role in protecting the fish, crabs, snails and oysters of the Beel.
Saiful Islam, the general secretary of the organisation, said: "We have been conducting regular campaigns for a decade to protect illegal fishing and other aquatic animals in the Chalan Beel."