Struggle to survive in fiery waves and storms, yet they are not on the government’s list
Photo Collected
Hostile weather prevails along the coast. The raging waves of the Agunmukha river are crashing on the broken banks. Dark clouds in the sky at dusk are a sign of rain. Just then a woman is coming towards the shore in a small boat. The strong wind and waves are trying to take away the boat in hand. Still he did not give up. Reached the ghat with a tight grip.
The woman’s name was Shabana Akhtar (30). The family member is a 15-year-old boy. He went fishing in the Agunmukha river with him. Shabana’s life has been struggling like this for more than a century.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Boalia Speedboat Ghat is located on the bank of Agunmukha River, 12 km from Galachipa Upazila town of Patuakhali. More than two hundred families like Shabana live permanently and temporarily on boats at this ghat. Their main occupation is fishing in the river through small boats. 80 percent of these people are children and women.
Talking on the ground, it was known that these people who have been living on the river bank for about 20 years, start from cooking and do all their daily work on the boat. Fishermen of other areas or upazilas of the district get government assistance but they are still deprived as their names are not in the list.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Officials of the Fisheries Department say that in order to get government allocations and facilities, one must have a national identity card. Apart from this, the people here do not have documents like house holding number, union council certificate. However, efforts are being made to list these neglected communities under special consideration as well as provide government assistance.
District Fisheries Officer Bijan Kumar Nandi told Prothom Alo, ‘We are working to bring these fishermen and backward communities under government facilities. Maybe they will get government benefits in the future.
This Pramatta Agunmukha river is one of the means of transportation of Patuakhali-Galachipa upazila along with Rangabali upazila and Bay of Bengal coastal areas. Being an estuary of the Bay of Bengal, the river is turbulent throughout the year. It is the life struggle of people who wake up near the river bank. Around these backward communities, small-scale bazaars and daily necessities shops have been built on the banks of the river. But there is no brick-and-mortar house to live in. Ignoring various hostile environment including fire pits, these families live in boats.
Last Monday (April 27) afternoon, I spoke with Khalil Munsi (70), a fishmonger at Boalia Ghat. He told Prothom Alo that 100 to 150 families of Boalia Ghat make a living by catching fish in the river. These family members started fishing from childhood. In most cases, women catch fish in the river. He also said that these fishing people came here from different areas of Patuakhali, Bhola, Barisal and Baufal upazilas. Some families have also become voters here.
Eight years ago, Aleya Begum (32) left her village in debt and became a resident of Boalia Ghat. Her home was in Nuraipur Union of Baufal Upazila. She came here and chose the profession of fishing with other women.
Aleya Begum said, on Monday, she bought diesel for Tk 700 and went fishing in the river. He went around all day and got 300 rupees of fish. He lamented and said, ‘I have been fishing in the river for six to seven years and selling it in the market. Couldn’t get a house to stay. The official list of male fishermen has names, but my name is still not on the list. Even if there is any government or private help in the area, it is not given to me. It is said that it cannot be given because the name is not in the list.
Rehena Begum (24) is sitting on the bank of the river facing the erosion. Six-year-old child Sohag in arms. He returned with a boat when the river swelled due to adverse weather conditions. Then he is sitting next to the boat on the bank of the river with a dirty face. His house was in Kalaiya port of Baufal upazila. He left his area 10 years ago due to poverty and started living here. She has a husband Sohel Bhuiyan (32) and a 10-year-old daughter named Mithila. They have to live on boats day and night bearing in mind the hostile environment of the coast.
Rehena said, “There is a lot of wind blowing in the river, the boat cannot withstand it. So I tied the boat to the wharf and sat on the river bank with the baby Sohag. Oil is expensive, not available. There is no rice in the house, no other food to eat. The waves in the river, how long will this flood last, what will I eat?
10-year-old Jahangir Hossain and his uncle Sagar (13) were seen gathering fishing nets on another boat tied to the ghat. Jahangir’s father Dulal Sardar and mother Michi Begum earned their living by fishing. Jahangir also caught fish in the river with his parents. At that time, Jahangir said, ‘From childhood, I fished in the river with my parents. don’t go to school I live in the river day and night, when to go to school? Who will feed you when you go to school?’
Jahangir’s mother Michi Begum said, ‘I live in the river, I sleep in the river. Just go to the market if you need anything including selling fish. Tell me to go to school in Polar? Who will feed us when we go to school?’
“If there is no rice at home, what will you do with the school?”
The small village on the banks of the Agunmukha river has tea and a few other shops. 14-year-old Ruman Sardar was sitting in a tea shop surrounded by arrows. He studied till class IV in Boalia Government Primary School. He did not go to school after that. Now regularly works as a laborer in a local ice factory. It earns 200 to 300 taka daily. If there is no work in the ice mill, he fishes in the river with another fisherman’s boat.
Ruman says, ‘If there is a shortage in the family, I fish in the river with my parents. And sometimes I work in an ice mill.’ Regarding not going to school, he said, ‘If you go to school, you don’t get food. If there is no rice at home, what do you do with the school? If I go to school, can I become something bigger? I will not eat when I work, so I work.’
Another 15-year-old child sitting next to Ruman is Rubel Howladar. Rubel works as a laborer on another’s boat. Earn 200 to 300 taka per day. Lives with 70 year old Nana Naya Mia. Four years ago Rubel’s mother Rani Begum died of cancer. After that, father Jabbar Hawladar got married for the second time and raised a family. The elder brother Rana married and lived separately with his wife. Elder sister Shireen Akter is married. Rumon’s eight-year-old younger sister Ferdowsi lives with her in-laws.
Rubel said, “Since my mother died, I used to fish in the river and give money to the family. I still give the money I earn from fishing to my old parents. Never went to school.’
About 50 to 60 children can be found visiting the Tirghesha village. Those aged between 7 years and 14-15 years. Many of these children catch fish in the river. Some with father, some with mother. These children who are old enough to hold their mother’s arms spend the whole day in the bosom of Agunmukha. Big waves crashing in the river and sunshine and rain are their daily companions. They travel in the river all day and come to the ghat before evening. Plays with peers till sunset. They run from one end to the other along the river bank.
“Government will tell us how many years we catch fish”
Eight-year-old Shakib was sitting on the bank of Agunmukha in the evening. The little child has been plowing Agunmukha’s chest with mother Shefali Begum (25) all day. As the river was rough that day, they returned to the shore before the scheduled time. Shakib’s dirtyness is revealed in blue sando genji and black shorts. A maduli of Kaviraj hung around the neck, something tied with thread in both hands.
Shakib’s mother Shefali Begum said that her husband Pannu Majhi is suffering from various diseases. A helper or laborer is needed to steer a boat in the river. So he was forced to fish with his son. In this the worker’s wages are also saved and the boy is also slowly learning to work.
Shefali Begum lamented and said, “I have been fishing in the Agunmukha river for 10 years and selling fish in the market.” Man more zaillaya kaiya dahe; But the government does not call us districts. How many years of fishing in the river will the government tell us the district, the name will be removed from the list? NGOs provide loans; But the government does not include names in the district list.
Galachipa Upazila Fisheries Officer. Zahirunnabi told Prothom Alo that about half a hundred women are involved in the fishing profession in Boalia end of Agunmukha river and 175 in Rangabali upazila end; But they do not live on land, but in boats. This creates legal complications in obtaining their holding number; And because of no holding, they are not being certified by the Union Parishad. Besides, there are hurdles in obtaining national identity cards. As per rules, no person can be included in the jail list without national identity card. However, it has been decided to list these neglected communities under special consideration as well as provide government assistance. Some families have already been given assistance. Those who are left out, will be given in future.
Source: Prothom Alo Bangla
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