To boost hilsa production, the government bans fishing in the river for two months, March and April. The ban covers 100 kilometres of the Meghna, from Char Alexander in Lakshmipur district to Shatnal in Matlab Uttar upazila of Chandpur. The government gives fishermen food aid (rice) so that they stay off the water. But about 52,000 fishermen in Lakshmipur and Chandpur districts are left out of this aid, and many are being forced to go fishing.

At midday on 17 March, at least 35 people were injured in a clash between two groups over rice distribution to fishermen in Lakshmipur Model union of Chandpur Sadar upazila. Locals said an argument and scuffle broke out when some fishermen without cards tried to take rice. At one point, card-holding and card-less fishermen clashed with sticks, local weapons and fish spears.

Lakshmipur district has 46,049 registered fishermen. The register was recently verified, and the latest list stands at 38,280 fishermen, of whom 28,244 will get rice. Unofficially, however, Lakshmipur has 60,000 fishermen. Chandpur has 45,000 registered fishermen, of whom 40,005 will get food aid. Overall, about 52,000 fishermen in Lakshmipur and Chandpur are missing out on rice during the ban. Each fisherman is due 40 kg of rice in four instalments, 160 kg in all.

The district fisheries department says fishermen under 18 who have no national identity card were not included in the register. Many go fishing on the river with their fathers and uncles from the age of 8 to 10, but as minors they do not get fishermen's benefits.

Yousuf Mia, administrative officer of North Char Bangshi union parishad in Raipur, said rice is being distributed to fishermen, but many have been left off the list. For this reason, fishermen denied benefits are pleading at the union parishad office.

Fisherman Md Latif of the Haimchar fish landing area in Chandpur was visibly furious. "What reform is going on in the country? The member asked me for Tk 4,000. Because I didn't give it, I'm not getting the rice either," he said. Asked which member, he replied: "Want the name so you can put me in more trouble?"

Fishermen Sharif Hossain of Ludhua ghat in Kamalnagar and Mohabbat Akon of Naiyapara in Char Bangshi, Raipur, said the local member had dropped their names from the register for political reasons. Although their sons and nephews have fished the river regularly for 8 to 10 years, their names did not appear on the rice list. People from other professions are getting fishermen's rice by paying money, they said.

Mostafa Bepari, president of the Lakshmipur fishermen's federation, said there had been nepotism and irregularities in the rice lists. In various places union parishad members had dropped genuine fishermen and added their own followers and people who paid. Rice is also given short in weight, and protests have brought no result, he said.

Lakshmipur district fisheries officer Mohammad Billal Hossain said those under 18 when the latest register was drawn up were not listed, so many were left out. There were no irregularities in fishermen's registration, he said.

Chandpur district fisheries officer Golam Mehedi Hasan said food aid is being given to 40,005 fishermen in Chandpur to keep them off the river. They will get 40 kg of rice four times. Some other fishermen, including registered ones, are also being left out of the aid, he said.

Since 2006 the government has banned fishing in the river in March and April to protect jatka (young hilsa) and boost hilsa production. The ban covers 100 kilometres of river from Char Alexander in Lakshmipur to Shatnal in Chandpur. During this period catching, storing, transporting, marketing and stockpiling all kinds of fish, including hilsa, is banned. Violators can face at least one to two years in prison or a fine of up to Tk 5,000, or both. The ban runs until 30 April.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.