Chalanbeel turns fishless
Friday, 17 April 2009
Our Correspondent
RAJSHAHI, Apr 16: Chalanbeel, once known as the storehouse of various types of indigenous fishes, has now become dried and fishless.
As a result, thousands of fishermen and fish traders, who used to earn their livelihood on the fish resources of Chalanbeel, have either changed their profession or passing a very miserable day with hardship.
Even three to four decades ago, special goods trains used to carry hundreds of tonnes of fishes from various railway stations like Boral Bridge, Bhangura, Sharatnagar, Dilpashar, Lahiri Mohanpur and Ullapara connecting Chalanbeel to various parts of the country.
The stations and the adjoining fish markets and haats used to throb with the fish vendors, fish traders, middlemen and customers round the year. The fishes, which remained excess or unsold were dried on manchas of every village.
People living in the villages of Chalanbeel area never purchased fish rather they used to catch fish from the beel or just got them from fishermen free of cost. But, now people of the Chalanbeel have to purchase fishes even from the local fishermen at an exorbitant price.
RAJSHAHI, Apr 16: Chalanbeel, once known as the storehouse of various types of indigenous fishes, has now become dried and fishless.
As a result, thousands of fishermen and fish traders, who used to earn their livelihood on the fish resources of Chalanbeel, have either changed their profession or passing a very miserable day with hardship.
Even three to four decades ago, special goods trains used to carry hundreds of tonnes of fishes from various railway stations like Boral Bridge, Bhangura, Sharatnagar, Dilpashar, Lahiri Mohanpur and Ullapara connecting Chalanbeel to various parts of the country.
The stations and the adjoining fish markets and haats used to throb with the fish vendors, fish traders, middlemen and customers round the year. The fishes, which remained excess or unsold were dried on manchas of every village.
People living in the villages of Chalanbeel area never purchased fish rather they used to catch fish from the beel or just got them from fishermen free of cost. But, now people of the Chalanbeel have to purchase fishes even from the local fishermen at an exorbitant price.