58-day ban on fishing in the sea amid the energy crisis, fishermen are worried

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A 58-day fishing ban will begin in the Bay of Bengal from midnight on Tuesday. The ban, which began on April 15, will remain in force until June 11. Due to the energy crisis, fishing in the sea has decreased for about two months. Millions of fishermen and traders are in extreme despair. In such a situation, the news of the 58-day ban on fishing in the sea from midnight tomorrow has left the fishermen worried.

The ban in Bangladesh’s territorial waters in the Bay of Bengal used to start for 65 days from May 20 to July 23. But last year the interim government reduced the ban period from 7 days to 58. It is also aligned with India.

The country’s fishermen, fishermen and fish traders have long been demanding that the fishing ban be revised in line with India’s. Along with that, he was urging a technical study on whether a 65-day ban is necessary or not. In view of this, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock issued a notification in this regard on March 16 last year by rearranging the deadline.

Officials of the Barisal Divisional Fisheries Directorate said that the Government of India and Bangladesh ban fishing in the Bay of Bengal at a certain time of the year for the propagation, growth and sustainable extraction of fish. Every year there was this ban in the waters of Bangladesh from May 20 to July 23 – 65 days. And it stays in Indian waters from April 15 to June 14 — 61 days.

Talking to the southern fishermen, it is known that 22-day ban on mother hilsa, 8-month ban on jatka fishing from November 1 to June 30, two-month sanctuary ban in March-April and 65-day ban in the sea—all in all, they had to observe 147 days ban in a year. But now it has been reduced by 8 days so there will be 139 days ban.

The disruption of global energy supplies due to the war in the Middle East has affected the country’s sea-going fisheries sector. For more than a month, thousands of fishing trawlers in the southern part of the country could not go to sea to collect fish due to diesel shortage. Hundreds of thousands of fishermen, trawler owners and traders in the fishing sector are in dire straits.

Rafiq Majhi, a fisherman of Patuakhali’s Mohipur, said that he could not go to the sea due to diesel shortage for some time. Now if the ban starts, how to run the family, do not understand.

Zafar Hossain, the boatman of the fishing trawler in Barguna’s Patharghata upazila, said, “I could not go down to the sea due to lack of diesel.” Even this Eid, I could not give new clothes to Polapans, nor eat well. Among these again the ban. There is no way to survive.

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Fazlu Gazi, a dealer in Mohipur, said that due to the ongoing fuel crisis, there has been a shortage of fish in the market, and business is also under pressure. Now the push for a longer ban will put fishermen-traders in more trouble.

Artdars of Patharghata in Barguna and Mahipur in Patuakhali, the big fishing port in the southern region, said that during the ban, they were put under extra pressure. Because, at this time, the fishermen have to pay money from the net to run their families. As there is no alternative livelihood for them, Artaddars and fishermen are all worried.

Sources in the Department of Fisheries said that during the ban, the plight of fishermen will be eased. Accordingly, every fisherman will get 77.33 kg of rice in 58 days.

According to the sources of Barisal Divisional Directorate of Fisheries, 1 lakh 46 thousand 29 people will get this assistance in Barisal Division. 1 thousand 129.42 tons of rice has already been allocated for this. 47 thousand 371 people will get help in Patuakhali district, 63 thousand 954 people will get help in Bhola, 27 thousand 250 people in Barguna district, 1 thousand 821 people in Barisal district, 240 people in Jhalkathi district and 5 thousand 391 people in Pirojpur district will get this help.

However, speaking to the fishermen, it is known that the number of sea-going fishermen in the department is about three lakh. As a result, less than half of the prisoners will receive this assistance. Moreover, in many cases the actual fishermen do not receive this assistance. And those who get, get less rice than the allocation. As a result, this support is not very useful.

Alam Mia, a fisherman in Jayalbhanga area of ​​Barguna’s Taltali upazila, said that the government gives rice, but in most cases the actual fishermen do not get it. Those who do, are given less weight. Alam Mia lamented and said, “Does pad’s hunger stop with empty rice?” Bazarsadai, how will all the other expenses of the world? No one is looking at Hey.

Senior Assistant Director of Barisal Divisional Office of Directorate of Fisheries. Anisuzzaman said, in the meantime, the allocation of aid rice has reached the district and upazila. Union Parishad will list and distribute this rice under the supervision of local administration.