Flood-hit Rangpur fish cultivators incur Tk 23 million loss

RANGPUR, July 23: A large quantity of different species of fish from a good number of ponds was washed away by floodwater from the Teesta and some other rivers in the district during the last one month.

The affected-fish cultivators and fishery officials said the losses might be around Tk 23 million as fishes from around 600 small and large ponds in different upazilas under the district have been washed away by floodwater caused by heavy downpour and onrush of water from the upstream during the period.

The farmers of Gangachara, Kawnia and Pirgachha upazila are the worst victims as flood caused havoc to the water bodies where they cultivated fishes, sources said.

Shahjahan Ali, a fish farmer of Pallimari village under Kawnia upazila, said fishes of his four ponds were washed away by the floodwater from the Teesta couple of weeks ago, making him a pauper. He failed to save the fishes from flood, though he tried his best, he further said.

Another fish farmer Alam of Mahipur village under Gangachara upazila, said fish from his three ponds was washed away by the floodwater from the Teesta one week ago, he could not get enough time to save the fishes from flash flood. "I expected to earn a good profit this year but all my hopes went in vain," he said.

A number of fish farmers under the upazilas told this correspondent due to lack of capital they had to take loan on high interest from money lenders and NGOs for cultivating fish. But now they are apprehensive about repaying their loan as all of their cultivated fishes have been washed away by flood water, they added.

District Fisheries Office sources said fish farming is gaining popularity in the region. But due to recent flood farmers have incurred massive losses. Flood washed away a huge amount of fishes from ponds under Gangachara, Kawnia and Pirgachha upazila. List of the affected fish cultivators has been sent to the higher authorities, sources added.

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