With the 22-day ban to protect Mother Hilsa, fishermen adhere to the restrictions and stay off the rivers. Boats and trawlers remain anchored along the riverbanks, and the fishermen spend leisure time weaving fishing nets.
Shahadat Majhi, a trawler owner from Nuniarchara in Cox’s Bazar, told Cox’s Bazar Life that eighteen crew members are fishing on the trawler. They returned from the deep sea before the ban began. During this downtime, the fishermen are weaving nets so that they are ready to set sail as soon as the ban is lifted.
Local fisherman Abdul Latif said they have returned from the river, respecting the ban, and are now repairing their nets before heading home.
The fishermen earn an additional daily wage of Tk200-Tk300 from the boat owners for weaving nets. More than 500 fishermen from the same area engage in this work, making productive use of their idle time.
By Rajin Saleh
