Although catching hilsa is banned until 3 November, markets are held regularly on the bank of the Padma in Shibchar, Madaripur. Buyers come here in groups to buy hilsa.

Inquiries found that hilsa is being bought and sold in various parts of Bandarkhola, Kanthalbari and Char Janajat unions of the upazila, freely at dawn, in the afternoon and in the evening, even though the government has banned catching, storing and marketing hilsa from 12 October to 3 November.

Meanwhile, several teams from the Shibchar upazila fisheries office, the administration and the river police are running drives on the Padma to protect mother hilsa. Fishers have already been detained, lakhs of metres of current net and trawlers seized and fines imposed. Still, fishers catch fish by stealth and sell them on the Padma bank.

At these markets, large hilsa sell for Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,500, medium ones for Tk 800 to Tk 1,000 and small ones for Tk 300 to Tk 700.

Shahin Howlader, who came to buy fish, said fresh hilsa is available cheaply here, so he came to buy and bought 10 kg because the price was low.

Several fishers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said fish are easily caught in the nets now, and big ones. "Even though the government has banned catching hilsa, we fish by stealth hoping for profit and to meet household costs. We sell the fish on the Padma bank," they said.

Madaripur history researcher Subal Biswas said jailing and fining fishers alone is not enough; those who buy the fish should also be jailed and fined. Checkposts should also be set up in areas where hilsa is sold and punishment arranged.

H E Jaschu, a member of Madaripur's Conscious Citizens' Committee, said hilsa trading is halted for only 22 days, but lack of awareness means this is not happening. If everyone does not come forward to protect mother hilsa, fish will decline in future, and the administration must work strictly to protect them during the breeding season.

Shibchar senior upazila fisheries officer Ferdous Ibne Rahim said they had learned of the hilsa sales and that markets are held on the Padma bank in various parts of the upazila. They will be identified and shut as quickly as possible.

Shibchar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abdullah Al Mamun said the upazila administration, fisheries office and river police run drives on the Padma every day, detaining and fining fishers and seizing large amounts of current net, yet fishing has not stopped. "We have learned that fish are bought and sold on the Padma bank every day. Legal action will be taken against them," he said.

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