The flooding has damaged fish resources of 1.66-lakh acre water bodies in the private sector worth Tk 990.78 crore, the rehabilitation of which depends on the government aid, sources in the Department of Fisheries said.

The floods have washed away about 120.44 crore fries and 63,493 tonnes of fish worth Tk 295.12 crore from ponds and canals at the private sector in 43 districts. The loss of water body infrastructures is yet to be measured.

The Chittagong division witnessed the highest loss of Tk 118.87 crore, Dhaka Tk 102.01 crore,

Rajshahi Tk 25.46 crore, Sylhet Tk 46.41 crore, Barisal Tk 2.30 crore and Khulna0.7 crore.

Fisheries department officials said the washed-away fries will remain in the fresh water bodies and fear that unscrupulous fishermen will catch those. "This is the most crucial point the people must be aware of," said Md Shahidul Islam, deputy director ofthe department.

The department has assessed that Tk 138.05 crore needed for rehabilitation of the affected farmers. It will distribute fry, fertiliser, fish food, medicines among marginal farmers owning ponds or water bodies measuring 0.5 acre or less and will provide infrastructure support.

The department has also asked the government, international aid agencies and NGOs for a loan of Tk 191.44 crore for the farmers for breeding, hatching and repair of infrastructures.

The officials said the agriculture sector always gets top priority in the post-floods rehabilitation. But the fish sector experienced such a loss as government must consider it seriously, they added.

Fresh water fish may be affected by diseases as water has been seriously contaminated due to city's sewage and chemical ingredients, said Abul Kashem, chairman of a fish cooperatives union in the city's Mohammadpur area.