Many genuine fishers in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, are being denied government rice assistance despite holding fisher identity cards, while people not involved in fishing allegedly receive the aid by obtaining fisher cards.
Fishers said the situation had left many people who depend on fishing for their livelihoods without government support.
A recent visit to Jaliapalong Union Parishad found sacks of rice allocated for fishers being unloaded from a truck and stored in a warehouse. Local fishers said some people who came to collect rice had to return disappointed.
They alleged that despite holding fisher identity cards, they were denied rice for various reasons, including the absence of their names from the distribution list. They said some people were seen collecting rice after receiving tokens and waiting in line.
Khairul, a fisher from Ward No. 1 of the union, said fishing had been his family’s traditional occupation.
“My father used to fish in the sea, and now I work as a fishing boat skipper. Despite having a fisher card, I am not receiving the rice. Yet many people who are not fishers are taking it,” he said.
Jaliapalong Union Parishad secretary Samir Das said Ukhiya upazila had around 3,300 fishers, of whom 1,200 had been allocated 30 tonnes of rice in total.
Mohammad Hossain Sikder, a member of Ward No. 2 of the union parishad, said around 2,300 fishers lived across Wards 1 to 9 of Ukhiya, but the allocation covered only 1,200 people.
Each selected fisher was receiving 25kg of rice, he said.
However, the local representative could not provide specific information on the total rice allocation for Jaliapalong Union in the 2026–27 fiscal year.
Sikder denied any complaints regarding distribution in his ward.
“There are 52 fishers in my ward, of whom 22 are on the government list. I have completed the distribution among them peacefully. There have been no disputes or complaints in my ward over the matter,” he said.
Mizanur Rahman Bahadur, adviser to the Cox’s Bazar District Fishing Boat Workers’ Union, said the authorities should verify the list of genuine fishers and ensure that they received the assistance they were entitled to.
He also called for an investigation into why some people holding fisher identity cards were being excluded from the distribution.
Contacted over the allegations, Cox’s Bazar district fisheries officer Md Nazmul Huda said the government allocated the rice to genuine fishers after verification.
“The matter will be investigated. If any allegation is proven, legal action will be taken,” he said.
By Tarekur Rahman
Photo: Hussain Shetu
