Indiscriminate fish catching goes on setting bamboo fences in Lohagara

JHENIDAH, Feb 5: Five groups of fishermen have indiscriminately been catching fish for around two months at five points setting up bamboo fences across the Madhumati River under Lohagara upazila of Narail.

Among the fences, two are closely situated at Ramkabopur ghat under Shalnagar union, more two at Dhanair ghat of Joypur union while the rest one is at Aria village under the same union.

About 1500-foot long two bamboo fences at Ramkambopur ghat to catch fish, were set up in the main current of the river, maintaining 300-foot distance between them.

Small fishing nets sticking to bamboo fences have been spread from the surface of the water to the bottom of the river while five 40-foot gaps have been left in the fences,for plying water vehicles in the regions.

Sources said fishermen from different places including Lohagara, Mohammadpur of Magura, Alfadanga and Kashiani in Faridpur, backed by local influential political leaders and being divided into five groups, each comprising 8-10,   are engaged in catching both sea and river fish like ma 'hilsha' and 'jatka' and small and big-sized pangash, ayir, boal and specially lots of fries of bele and chingri. Sources further said that two fences were being used for barricading hilsha fish which was being then caught by throwing nets.

Fishermen working at the places with three boats for catching fish informed that every fence which took around one month to be made of about 600 pieces of bamboo cost about Tk. 0.2 million.

Hosnerara Happy, Lohagara Upazila Fisheries Officer told this correspondent that two notices served to the men involved with the practice in the points suggesting removal of the nets and bamboo fences illegally used across the river went unheeded.

While contacted, Rebeka Khanom, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Lohagar told the Financial Express that she had visited the sites along with the fisheries officer, adding that soon a mobile court would be conducted to evict the instruments related with the catching.

Gaffer Khan, Deputy Commissioner of Narail said he would form an eviction committee to conduct the task.

Sewing machines

distributed   

A BSS report says: A total of 100 sewing machines distributed free of cost among 100 freedom fighter families in six upazila of Jhenaidah Tuesday. Ministry of Liberation War Affairs distributed the sewing machines with a view for developing the socio-economic status of the families.

A simple function was arranged on the occasion at the Zila Parishad Auditorium. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Safikul Islam Prodhan distributed the sewing machines as the chief guest while Zila parishad administrator Advocate Abdul Wahed Joaddar in the chair.