Dry fish, a prospective sector in Kuakata coastal area with export potential, is facing a setback due to lack of government patronisation.

Fishermen and dry fish traders said huge quantities of fish and dry fish are destroyed due to lack of storage facilities in Kuakata.

Around 300 tonnes of dry fish is produced in the coastal belt in a season from November to April, which can be increased to 500 tonnes if facilities are provided. A part of it is exported.

But they face problems including lack of storage facility, bank loan and transportation facility. Besides, insecurity from pirates and criminals always haunt them.

"We do not have any cold storage at Mahipur, the main hub of fish business here. The fish sector is yet to get any help and support from the government through it has good potential", said Abdus Salam Howlader, president of Alipur Fish

Traders Association.

Dry fish trader Jahangir also expressed the same view. Production and export of dry fish can be increased if patronised by the government, they said.

Secretary of the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry during a visit to the area last year had assured of assistance for storage facilities, but nothing has been done, said Nitai Chandra Das, general secretary of Wholesale Fish Traders Association at Mohipur.

Added to these, incidents of robbery in coastal waters has increased alarmingly. At least 50 fishermen were injured in such incidents in last one month, he claimed.

"We are not benefited by the Navy patrol as they are in the deep sea. Most of the incidents of piracy take place in areas near the coastline, he said.

About two lakh maunds of fish inching Hilsa are netted from Kuakata area alone annually, bulk of

which is exported, they claimed. About 50,000 men are involved in fishing and drying fishes but this sector is ignored by the government, he added.

They demanded 20 kilometres mobile phone network in the shore waters, which would allow fishing trawlers to maintain link with law enforcers on shore. Most of the piracy incidents take within 20 kilometres from the beach, they said.

Nimai Chandra also said there are two banks here but we do not get TT facilities from these banks. A trader has to go to Kalapara upazila head quarter 20 km away to avail such facility, he said.

Jahangir, a dry fish trader at Kuakata said foreign exchange earnings from dry fish export could be increased if the government provided facilities.

Dry fish is exported to some Middle East countries including Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Qatar now.