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Shortage of nets, boats leads fishermen to unemployment

From Our Correspondent
J BHOLA, Apr 14 . About ! 20,000 fishermen in seven । upazilas of Bhoia district are । now unable to carry on their 1 ancestral occupation due to | nonavailability of fishing appli-I ances as well as working capi-I tai. The fall in fishing trade be J gan In the district two years J ago following price hike of J fishing appliances Including J nets and boats.
g The situation has aggravated ( due to last year's flood and the | life of the fishermen has be-1 come too miserable.
I Bhoia District Fishermen's • Association sources said that J the flood affected fishermen of J the district were not properly J rehabilitated. So they are un-
able to run their trade afresh.
In the local market a fishing boat along with a net are now being sold at about Taka three lakh to Taka 3.50 lakh which is beyond the purchasing capacity of the fishermen.
The soaring prices of fishing boat, net and other appliances persisting in the district have by and large, crippled the professional fishermen. They are also being deprived of government allocation extended to Fishermen's Cooperative Societies due to machination of the local influential quarters.
The beels and haors of the district and the rivers Meghna, Tatulia. Illisha were once the
main sources of fish production. But the production has declined this season because of massive slltation and unplanned Irrigation. Reckless fishing by the non-professional has also considerably affected the production in the beels. haors and rivers.
Meanwhile, a large cumber of fishermen has left their profession and switched over to other Job. It may be mentioned that, the genuine fishermen were once conventionally given lease of haors, baors. beds, and rivers. But now a days a section of fake fishermen In collusion with the vested quarters in taking lease of the Jalmahals.
Despite government provision the local fishermen are not being supplied with yarn at control price due to corruption In the Fishermen's Cooperative Societies.
On the other hand, bank loan facilities are not adequate to develop pislculture in seven upazilas of Bhoia district.
Patuakhall, 18,000 ponds, tanks tn Khulna, Satkhira and Bagcrhat. 20,000 ponds, tanks in Jessore. Narail, Jhentdah and Magura district, 14,000 ponds, tanks in Kushtla, Chuadanga and Meherpur district.
Due to improper planning and alleged negligence of the Fisheries Department these ponds, tanks and beels have been lying unattended.
If proper steps are taken, some 20 lakh maunds of different kinds of fish worth Taka 50 crore may be produced per year, the sources added.