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Demand for dried fish on the rise in Sirajganj

Published : Tuesday, 31 October, 2017 at 12:00 AM  Count : 204
Ashok Benarjee
SIRAJGANJ, Oct 29: The Bangalees are fond of fish and dried fish. With the increasing demand of fish, the demand for dried fish is also increasing in the country as well as in the district.
Once, the saline water dried fish was popular among people of eastern and coastal areas, and it is still prevailing.
Nowadays, a massive hub of dried fish has been developed in Chalan Beel (water body) area. This sweet water dried fish is now being exported to abroad. As the demand of dried fish has increased, the local fishermen have engaged themselves in producing dried fish alongside netting fish.
Traders said, the taste of sweet water dried fish is different from those of saline water, while the demand of sweet water dried fish is increasing among the foreigners.
According to field sources, with the decrease of water in the Chalan Beel, the fishermen at Tarash, Raiganj, Ullahpara and Shahzadpur upazilas in Sirajganj district, Chatmohor, Bhangura and Faridpur upazilas in Pabna district, Singra and Gurudashpur upazilas in Natore district, and Atrai upazila in Naogaon district, are netting abundant fish. Centring the fish, the labourers at more than 300 dried fish chatals (raised flat areas) have become busy this season.
The dried fish production goes on from the Bengali month of Ashwin till the month of Agrahayan. From three maunds of fresh fish, one maund of dried fish can be prepared.
The dried fish is being produced in the chatals covering 125 square kilometre area of the Chalan Beel. Thousands of people are involved in producing the dried fish at the greater Chalan Beel area.
The dried fish is currently being exported to the USA, Bahrain, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Dubai and several countries of the European Union.
After preparing, the dried fish is separated in three categories- A, B, and C. The dried fish of 'A' category is exported abroad while those of 'B' and 'C' categories are marketed locally. The local traders said, this year around 500 tonnes of dried fish would be produced here.
A trader Abu Hasan of Rangpur said, "This sweet water dried fish is being sold at different markets of Dhaka, Chittagong, Rangpur, Syedpur, Narayanganj, Bogra, Nilphamari and Khulna. According to quality, per maund of small size dried fish is being sold at Tk 15,000 to 22,000 while the big size dried fish is selling at Tk 25,000 to 60,000. Mainly the traders of Dhaka and Chittagong export the dried fish to abroad."
Trader Delbar Hossen of Mohishluti area under Tarash upazila said, "Though there is huge demand, there is no proper system to process and store the dried fish. Those who export the fish generally process, store and package it."
Dried fish labourers Amena Khatun and Ayesha Begum of Udhunia under Ullahpara upazila said, "During this time of the year, hundreds of female labourers get engaged in dried fish industry here. Each of them gets Tk 300 as daily wage."
District Fisheries Officer Md Monirul Islam said, "Due to handsome profit and huge demand in the country and abroad, the production of sweet water dried fish is increasing in the district. Five years back, around 150 tonnes of dried fish was produced here, but now it has doubled now and reached up to around 500 tonnes."
He further said, "If proper monitoring and patronisation can be maintained, the sweet water dried fish can be a good source of income. I have sent letter to the concerned department informing the matter."
President of Sirajganj Chamber of Commerce and Industries Golam Abu Yusub Surja said, "Chalan Beel is a great storehouse of local variety fish. Due to huge demand, the sweet water dried fish is being produced here in great extent. This fish is also going abroad. But, the traders are not getting any government help while producing the dried fish and exporting those to abroad."
He further said, "We are contacting with different business organisations so that the dried fish which is produced here can be properly marketed and exported abroad. To expand the industry, the labourers should be provided training. At the same time, government patronisation is necessary."





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