A baghair fish weighing about 31kg has been caught in the Padma river in Goalanda upazila of Rajbari, the first fish this big to be caught this season. Local trader Masud Molla bought it at the highest bid of Tk 950 a kg at Kesmat Sheikh's arat in Daulatdia ghat market early on Friday (8 November).

He said fisherman Mostak Haldar of Dhalarchar in Aminpur thana, Pabna, cast his net with his companions upstream at Urakanda in Rajbari Sadar upazila on Thursday night. The huge baghair was caught when they reached the boundary of Debgram union in Goalanda.

At around 10:30am at Daulatdia ferry ghat, the fish was seen tied with a thick rope to pontoon No 5 and kept in the water. Curious people crowded around to see it. The report then says the fish was sold to trader Masud at Tk 1,000 a kg.

Md Rezaul Sharif, acting fisheries officer of the upazila, said: "Large fish will be found in the Padma from time to time this season. But this is the first time such a big baghair has been caught in fishermen's nets this year. Such large fish are usually caught in kouna and faissa nets."

Source: Dhaka Tribune. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.