A 22-day ban on fishing is in force to protect mother hilsa. Two weeks into it, many fishermen have still not received government rice aid, and some are not even on the list. Fishermen also allege that people in other occupations are getting the benefit. As a result they are becoming entangled in debts and loans.

The coronavirus pandemic has gone on for more than a year and a half, and the season as a whole did not bring the expected hilsa catch. On top of that comes the ban. Thousands of fishermen in coastal Rangabali, Patuakhali, and their families are going through very hard days.

At the Koralia, Nijkata and Char Montaz sluice ghats in the upazila, fishing boats and trawlers are tied up and the fishermen are ashore. They pass idle time making new nets, changing net ropes, mending torn nets and repairing boats. Their faces are drawn, their eyes full of hardship.

In Koralia village, fishermen Abdur Rahman and Alauddin Mridha said: "At this time, fishermen who depend on fishing income are not doing well with their families. During the ban they have no income at all. Many have not even received the aid rice. Once the ban is over, this rice will be of no use to them."

Fishermen said they were already in financial difficulty because of the pandemic, and this season there was little hilsa. Day by day they are being crushed by debts, loans and dadon (advances from moneylenders). They are frustrated at the delay in government aid in these hard times, which they say defeats the government's purpose, and they blame negligence by the officials concerned.

The fisheries department says the 22-day ban has been in force since October 4 to protect mother hilsa in the main breeding season. This time 13,650 fishermen in the upazila's six unions who stay off the water will get 20 kg of rice each under the VGF programme. Fishermen say that rice is not enough for their families over a 22-day ban.

Another 4,000 to 5,000 fishermen are outside the scheme because they have not yet been registered, yet many people in other occupations get the benefit every time instead of genuine fishermen.

Suman Howlader, a fish trader in Koralia, said: "This year fishermen went to the river and the sea full of hope but did not get much hilsa. Then there was the 65-day ban, then bad weather, and now another 22-day ban. Fishermen are at their wits' end. Forget repaying debts and the moneylenders' advances, it has become hard just to run the household. Prices of goods are also high."

Upazila fisheries officer Anwarul Haque Babul said: "Rice distribution was somewhat delayed because of bad weather. Of the six unions, rice has already been given out in Moudubi on Wednesday. It will be distributed this week in the remaining unions of Rangabali, Chhoto Baisdia, Boro Baisdia, Char Montaz and Chalitabunia."

He added: "The list of fishermen was made in 2011. Many fishermen from that time have changed occupation, and many new people have come into fishing. So work to update the list is under way. Those who are not on the list will be included."

Source: Kaler Kantho. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.