Lull at Patharghata fish depot

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The Patharghata fish depot is no longer a noisy joint. What once used to be the largest fish port in Barisal division now resembles an almost abandoned bazaar.

There is no noise of trawlers docking in, no unloading of fish baskets, no hue and cry of depot workers and certainly no noise of trucks waiting to transport the fish.

Late in the afternoon yesterday, workers from three trawlers were gossiping idly near the port. Others were wandering around, all having no work to do as they have no boats or equipment left to go fishing with.

Cyclone Sidr has sunk most of what belonged to them into the Bishkhali river.

Shukhmohon Jaladas, a man in his 40s, came forward to tell us the story of how Sidr crushed his only trawler and lone means of livelihood. Abdus Sattar, who lost two trawlers in the cyclone, had a similar story to tell.

Sattar said he was hoping government officials will come forward with financial assistance to help the fishermen back to their feet again.

The whole fish trade at Paharghata has come nearly to a halt after 273 out of about 700 trawlers of the area were destroyed or sunk in the cyclone.

Fifteen trawlers with 173 fishermen remain missing till date.

Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, President of Barguna District Fishing Trawlers Owners Association said that some people whose boats were not badly damaged, or those who had the means to repair their trawlers, had started fishing again.

But the majority is set to miss the winter season that has started.

Eighteen days after Sidr ravaged the area, many damaged boats piled up on the riverbank bear witness to the severity of the damage

Rafiqul Islam Dulal, owner of four trawlers, said that there was some trade only in the mornings from the small number of trawlers that goes out to fish.

“Starting afresh is not an easy task for the poorer fishermen. They need financial help, at least one lakh taka in addition to fishing nets and other equipments,” he pointed out.

The cost of fishing has meanwhile also shot up high due to absence of power supply in the area.

“The ice mills cannot operate without power, so now we have to purchase ice from Khulna, and Mohipur in Patuakhali,” Rafiqul said, adding that the price of a can of ice has reached Tk 250 from Tk 70 previously, due to transport cost.

Sawmills in the area have also been closed due to lack of power, which means many fishermen trying to get their boats repaired are unable to do so.

The possibility of power supply being restored very soon also seem unlikely as the number of damaged power supply cables and poles is very large, locals say.

Golam Mostafa Chowdhury suggests a loan without interest and mortgage can best help the Sidr-affected fishermen.

If the government issues Tk 1 lakh in assistance for the each small trawler owner, they could borrow the rest from others and repair or build new trawlers to start fishing again, he said.

“The government could also buy each fishermen a shallow engine, costing about Tk 25,000 a piece with which the fishermen would be able to make a trawler,” he added.

Patharghata Upazila Nirbahi Officer Selim Khan said, “We’ve already submitted a proposal to the caretaker government advisers who have visited the area to allocate grants or interest-free loans for the affected fishermen.”

He is awaiting response in this regard.

Unless they can start repairing their trawlers now, the fishermen will have to miss the upcoming hilsha season that begins in Baishakh.

After all the losses forced on their heads, that’s something they just can’t afford to miss, many fishermen say.

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