Traditional Hilsa Fair Draws Crowds on the Padma Bank in Manikganj After Fishing Ban Ends

From early morning, people have been gathering at Bahadurpur Ghat in Harirampur upazila of Manikganj. One fishing boat after another is arriving from the river, and gleaming silver hilsa are being unloaded. Buyers and traders fix their eyes on the boats before the fish are even ashore — haggling begins, and with it a scramble for the best fish.

Fishers have returned to the Padma-Jamuna to catch hilsa after the end of a 22-day ban. Around the fish they land, the traditional hilsa fair at Bahadurpur has been under way since Friday.

The fair, held for nearly two decades, is now a familiar fixture on the Padma bank. Depending on the supply of fish, it runs for up to seven days.

The buyers are not only local. Alongside Harirampur, they come from Ghior, Manikganj Sadar, and Dhaka's Dhamrai and Savar. Prices are somewhat high, but buyers do not want to miss the chance to see and buy fresh river hilsa directly.

Despite the crowds, the supply of hilsa is comparatively low this time. Fishers and traders say fewer fish are being found in the river than demand requires.

On top of that, the higher price of fuel for engine boats has raised the cost of fishing, so fishers say they are not making the expected profit even when selling at higher prices.

Fisher Palash said: “Four of us fish together. After fishing all night we sold four thousand taka worth of fish. The fuel cost was 1,500 taka. So what is left?”

Rahmat Ali, a hilsa fisher from the North Channel area of Faridpur, has also come to Bahadurpur. He said: “The price of fish is good in Bahadurpur, so I have come here. But fewer fish are being caught in the river this time.”

Mehedi Hasan Shahin, organising secretary of the Bahadurpur Bazar Bonik Samity, said: “This fair has been organised after the end of the hilsa fishing ban for nearly two decades. Buyers come here from different parts of Manikganj, as well as from Dhaka and Savar.”

Fish trader Ayub Ali said the fair is organised at the initiative of local residents and the market traders' association. Hilsa worth several lakh taka were sold on the very first day of the fair, which will run for up to seven days depending on supply.

Manikganj district fisheries officer Sheikh Monirul Islam Monir said: “With the 22-day ban over, fishers have started harvesting hilsa in the river again. The main purpose of the ban was to ensure the breeding of mother hilsa and the chance for them to release eggs. The cooperation of fishers and the enforcement of the ban during this period have created an opportunity to play a positive role in raising hilsa production. The fair's trade will depend on the availability and supply of hilsa in the river.”