Many people have no time to cut fish themselves. Some are bachelors, some are office workers, and some want to spare the household the trouble. So after buying fish they head straight to the market's fish-cutting spot. Around this demand, a quiet but important trade has grown up in the markets of Sylhet city, and it can now be seen in almost every large fish market.

At the fresh market inside Sylhet's City Market, 21-year-old Mahmudul Hasan has been cutting fish for about two to three years. His uncle has long been in the trade, and he joined to ease his uncle's workload.

Mahmudul says that when more fish comes to the market there is more work, and when there is less fish, income falls. On average they earn Tk 1,500 to Tk 2,000 a day, which he shares with his uncle.

There is no fixed price list for cutting fish, he said; the fee depends on the size and shape of the fish. Cutting a 4 kg fish usually costs Tk 80, though sometimes they do it for Tk 50-60 or even Tk 40. For small fish such as koi, magur, shing and pabda they charge up to Tk 50 a kg.

"Work is work. What matters is earning honestly. If someone pays less, you can't force them. Rather, if you take less, the customer comes back," Mahmudul said.

Mehedi Hasan, who works at a private hospital, was having his fish cut at the market. "I'm a bachelor. I have it cut at the market to avoid the hassle of doing it at home. It costs some money but saves time," he said.

Another office worker said a market fish cutter can do in five minutes what takes 20 minutes or more at home, so saving time matters more to him than the money.

Many say the women at home are not keen on, or not able to, cut large fish, and do not want the extra chore on top of looking after children and the household. As a result, having fish cut at the market has become more common.

A teenage boy was seen cutting fish at the same market. He has been doing the work for about a year and says he has cut as much as a maund of fish in a single day.

Tofazzal Hossain has been in the trade for five years and works from 9am to 11pm. In his view, many people in the busy city cannot set aside time to cut fish, so the need for the service is growing by the day.

Monir Hossain has been cutting fish for about seven or eight years. He said there was no covered market like today's in the past; they used to sit in the open, beside the drain, to do the work.

"Cutting fish doesn't take long, but it takes courage. If you are afraid, there's a risk of cutting your hand," Monir said. He has cut his own hand three times.

"The work depends entirely on the market. Some days you work non-stop, and some days you sit for a long time waiting for customers," he added.

Buyers at fish markets want to buy and get home quickly, and these workers make that easier. Keeping pace with busy city life, fish cutting has become an indispensable part of the market.

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