CHANDPUR, Bangladesh, Sept 11 (NNN-BSS) – Thanks to a good harvest and high prices, fishermen in Bangladesh’s Chandpur district, where the world’s most famous silvery transboundary Hilsa fish come from, are now all smiles.
Huge catches of Hilsas, Bangladesh’s national fish, are being netted in marine and coastal areas across Bangladesh, especially in Chandpur, some 115 km southeast of Dhaka, during the ongoing peak fishing season.
Chandpur is considered one of the biggest trading hubs of Hilsas in Bangladesh, mainly due to the skyrocketing popularity of Hilsas from the Padma River, one of the three major rivers in the country.
Wholesalers in the market said, they are very happy with plenty of Padma’s Hilsas, which fetch home some extra money for them.
Noor Alam, proprietor of Saju Fish, who has been doing fish trading for about 20 years, said, the fishing season starts from May. According to him, this is a seasonal business that runs for four to five months.
Abdul Bari Jamadar Manik, president of Chandpur Matsya Banik Samiti (association) Limited, said, this fish landing station at Chandpur is about 200 to 250 years old.
“About four or five thousand people are involved with this Hilsa trading in Chandpur,” said Manik. “Hilsa is very important for the economy of the entire Bangladesh,” he added.
According to a recent study by the international fisheries organisation, WorldFish, Bangladesh currently produces 86 percent of the world’s total Hilsas, followed by India, Myanmar, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Pakistan.
According to the report, Hilsa production in Bangladesh in recent years, increased remarkably, following measures, including setting up of Hilsa sanctuaries in various rivers.
Hilsas move from the Bay of Bengal to Bangladesh rivers, including the Padma and the Meghna for spawning.
No matter how favourable the environment is in other rivers or reservoirs, Hilsas would return to their birthplaces, where their mothers had laid the eggs and they grew up as spawns, the study revealed.
“Hilsa is one of the flagship fish species of Bangladesh,” said Md Anisur Rahman, chief scientific officer and Hilsa researcher at Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Riverine Station, Chandpur.
Rahman who started researching Hilsa in 1988, said, its contribution to the GDP of Bangladesh is more than one percent.
Traders say, the ones weighing one kg to 1,200 grams are now selling for around 40,000 takas (about 465 U.S. dollars) per maund.– NNN-BSS
