'No fish to be left in Jamuna in a decade'

There was a time when the onset of the monsoon season would spark fishing competitions in the Jamuna River. During the rainy days, not only professional fishermen but also ordinary people would joyfully set sail to catch fish. But now, such festivities have become nothing more than stories for the residents living along the banks of the Jamuna.

In the past, the river teemed with hilsa, boal, rui, katla, mrigel, baghair, pangas, large baim, as well as shrimp, kajli, batashi, baija, tengra, gulsha, baila, and many other species. Even now, in the months of Ashwin and Kartik, fishermen occasionally catch a few large bagha air fish. But the river’s former abundance is gone.

According to fishermen along the Jamuna, due to the government’s lack of proper care, the river has lost its navigability and its ecosystem has been destroyed. As a result, breeding grounds for fish are being wiped out, and natural fish production is in decline. Amid this crisis, a group of unscrupulous fish traders are further damaging the river’s fish habitats by using current nets or battery-powered boats.

Fishermen warn that if this continues, the Jamuna will become completely devoid of fish within the next decade.

They claim that if the Department of Environment, the Department of Fisheries and Livestock, and the National River Protection Commission had taken proper action against these corrupt traders—or had avoided corruption themselves—this crisis would not have arisen.

When contacted, Bhuapur Upazila Fisheries Officer Mosa Rima Akter told Views Bangladesh, "I am new here, but I have already learned about the use of electrofishing. The people engaging in this practice are not locals. They are a group of dishonest, outsider fishermen who hunt fish under the cover of darkness using electric fishing methods and 'China Duari' nets from trawlers." She added that efforts are underway to apprehend these fishermen.

She also stated, "We have already conducted raids and confiscated several 'China Duari' nets, which have been burned. However, it has not yet been possible to identify exactly who is placing these nets. Efforts to catch them are ongoing."

According to her, the upazila has 1,421 registered fishermen, and a total of 2,789 ponds covering 349.76 hectares. Of these, 16 are government-owned ponds covering 137.1 hectares, while 2,773 are privately owned, spanning 213 hectares.

In response to a question, she said that while the total local demand for fish is 5,699.78 metric tons per year, annual production stands at 3,578.89 metric tons—leaving a shortfall of 1,220.89 metric tons. However, the target for fish production this year is 4,500 metric tons.

She urged local journalists, professional fishermen, and union council chairmen and members to cooperate in stopping these illegal activities.