Aziz Moral, Mongla: Thousands of fishermen have taken to the seas to process dried fish, despite the fear of storm surges and bandits. They officially set off in their respective fishing boats from the Chila area adjacent to Pasur River in Mongla.
Dry harvesting season has started from Friday in Dublar Char near the Sundarbans of the Bay of Bengal. 25 to 30 thousand fishermen have started the journey with preparations. The fishermen have already left with the pass permit from the Sundarbans division with the prescribed revenue.
Fishermen from different districts of the country including Chittagong, Koira, Satkhira, Patharghata in Barguna, Pirojpur, Sarankhola in Bagerhat, Rampal and Mongla left for Dublar Char on Thursday midnight. Fishermen will continue to be very busy in this small area of the sea chest till March 31 next year to collect dried fish. Alorkol, Magherkilla, Narkelbaria and Shylarchar- these four pastures under the jurisdiction of Dubla Jelepalli patrol post will carry out the production process for five months of the season.
This year, during the dry harvesting season, permission has been given to construct 1,108 fisher houses, 78 depot houses and more than 100 shops in these four pastures.
During the last year’s dry season, the Char Kendrick of Dubla collected about Rs 6 crore in revenue. The revenue collection target for this year has been set at Rs 7 crore. If the weather is favorable, the production of dry fruits will increase this time – the expectation of the forest department.
According to Bagerhat East Sundarbans Division, dry harvesting season is starting in Sundarbans on Friday as the 22-day ban on mother hilsa conservation has ended. It will continue till March 31 next year. During the dry harvesting season, fishermen will build temporary shelters, fish drying racks and lofts.
According to the instructions of the forest department, before the journey to Shutki Palli, temporary houses along with fish drying racks and loft making equipment should be taken with the fishermen in boats and trawlers. Rana Dev, Assistant Conservator of Forests of East Sundarbans Division of Bagerhat, said, “Dublar Alorkol, Maherkilla, Narkelbaria and Shalarchar – these four pastures of Sundarbans are starting dry season on Friday. Meanwhile, the fishermen have left for Dubla with the pass from the forest department. According to the information of the forest department, more than 10 thousand fishermen will stay in four pastures of Dubla for five consecutive months. However, according to private estimates, its number is much higher, exceeding 30 thousand.
