Dried fish production in full swing at Dublar Char as fishers return safely from the sea

Dried fish production has begun in full swing at Dublar Char in the Sundarbans on the Bay of Bengal coast. Fishers are returning to the char with large catches from the sea.

Since the dried fish season began, no complaint of pirate activity has been received from the sea or from Dublar Char. Fishers are relieved to be able to return safely to the char and work after harvesting fish.

This year's dried fish production season began on 30 October. Since then the four chars of Dubla, including Alorkol, have become busy with fishers. Fishers say they have been getting plenty of fish in the sea over the past few days.

According to the Forest Department, the Dubla fishing village covers 81 square miles across four chars of the eastern Sundarbans — Alorkol, Majherkilla, Narikelbaria and Shelar Char. About 80 percent of the country's total dried fish is produced in this village.

Dried fish is made there from species including loitta, chhuri, shrimp, rupchanda and poa. About 10,000 fishers have gone to the four chars of Dubla so far this season. They will stay at Dublar Char for the next five months, until March, harvesting fish at sea and producing dried fish.

For this season, the Forest Department has permitted 1,018 temporary houses, 67 depots and 116 shops for daily necessities for fishers and boat owners in the dried fish village.

A revenue target of Tk 8 crore has been set from the Dublar Char dried fish village this season. Last season, revenue collection was Tk 7,37,22,493. Dried fish production last season was 79,602.766 quintals.

Speaking by mobile phone from Alorkol in Dubla, Dubla Fishermen Group president Bir Muktijoddha Md Kamal Uddin Ahmed said this year's season began under the shadow of Cyclone Arnab's effects. With good weather at sea, fishers are getting plenty of fish. Ten thousand fishers have come to the Dublar Char area this year. Fishers are happy with the higher authorities of the Coast Guard, SRB and police for steps taken to control pirates.

Md Khalilur Rahman, forest ranger and officer-in-charge of the Dubla patrol outpost of the Shoronkhola range of the Sundarbans East Forest Division, said fishers have gone down to the sea to catch fish after the cyclone's effects passed.

Sundarbans East Division forest officer (DFO) Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said criminal tendencies are decreasing because of all-out drives in the Sundarbans. In special drives over the past 10 months in the eastern Sundarbans, 110 accused were arrested in 112 cases. Sundarbans West Division DFO AZM Hasanur Rahman said 394 accused were arrested there in 403 cases over the past 10 months.