The 22-day government ban on catching hilsa has finally ended, but fishermen along the Cox’s Bazar coast are far from cheerful.
Despite the green light to resume fishing, rough weather and rising fuel costs have left them deeply worried.
Adding to their concerns, the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into Cyclone Montha, prompting the Meteorological Department to issue signal number 2 for Cox’s Bazar and adjacent coastal areas.
The sea remains turbulent, keeping most fishing boats anchored ashore.
Nazim Uddin, a fisherman from the Cox’s Bazar Fishery Ghat, said, “We thought we’d finally head out to catch hilsa after the ban, but the hostile weather won’t allow us to go deep into the sea. During the ban, I had to borrow money to feed my family. Now, fuel, ice, and labor costs have all gone up — if we fail to catch enough fish, we’ll face heavy losses.”
Across various coastal areas of Cox’s Bazar, many fishermen are still busy repairing boats and fixing nets, uncertain when they will be able to sail again.
Trawler owner Rahim explained, “Even after the ban, if hilsa catches are poor, fishermen suffer badly. Each medium-sized trawler costs between Tk 5 lakh and Tk 10 lakh per trip — including expenses for fuel, ice, food, and workers’ wages. If we can’t bring in enough fish, it’s impossible to recover those costs.”
As a result, many fishermen remain trapped in cycles of debt. Some are forced to sell their trawlers, while others take up work as laborers on others’ boats to survive.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Mohammad Morshed
