Bamboo-and-net barriers built across Bariadah beel in Fardabad village of Bancharampur, Brahmanbaria, are blocking the flow of water and the movement and breeding of small native fish, local fishers and residents say. The barriers have also made it hard for boats to cross the beel.

Residents accuse members of the leaseholder, the Fardabad-Rupsadi fishermen's cooperative society, of ignoring the conditions of the government's Jalmahal Management Policy 2009 by putting up the barriers east of the market on the southern side of the beel and in the southern para. Section 21 of the policy says natural flowing water may not be held back anywhere in a leased water body, and a breach can lead to cancellation of the lease.

Fishers say that closing the fish's routes in the monsoon and breeding season harms the breeding and spread of native species. Several complained that parts of the beel have effectively been taken over in the name of fish culture, cutting ordinary fishers' access, and that influential people catch and sell fish from the beel's sanctuary every year.

Farmer Kawsar Ahmed of Fardabad said the barriers trap water hyacinth on his land, costing him a lot each year to clear. Kamrul Mia, a trader at Rupsadi South Bazar, said he has been unable to bring goods by boat for six or seven years and has to use trucks, which costs more.

Upazila fisheries officer Akkas Ali said there is no scope to farm fish by damming a beel; barriers obstruct breeding, and fish must be able to move freely. He said he was not aware of fish being taken from the sanctuary.

Badal Das, a member of the cooperative's executive committee, said people catch the fish by various means when the whole beel is stocked, which is why bamboo and nets have been used for six or seven years; because of losses the society will not lease the beel from next year. Upazila nirbahi officer Al Emran Khan said he was not aware of the matter and would act after looking into it.

Reported by Samakal.

Source: Samakal