Made from thin strips of bamboo, the traditional Bangladeshi fish trap known as chai has long been part of rural life.
The trap, however, goes by different names in different parts of the country. In North Sonaichari, in the Jaliapalong union of Ukhia upazila in Cox’s Bazar, locals know it as bumcha.
Resident Nur Mohammad said people in North Sonaichhari commonly call it bumcha, while other parts of Bangladesh know the trap as chai.
Unlike ordinary chai, bumcha is made sturdier, particularly to catch native fish such as tengra, shing and magur. Skilled hands weave thin bamboo strips together to form the entire trap.
Nur Mohammad makes the bumcha himself and brings the traps to the local market to sell. Each one costs Tk 100.
Bamboo fish traps were once among the most common fishing tools used in the canals, wetlands, ponds, and other water bodies of rural Bangladesh. Although modern fishing equipment has become increasingly common, these traditional traps have survived in many rural areas.
Made by local artisans using techniques passed down through generations, the bumcha remains a simple reminder of rural life and Bangladesh’s folk heritage.
By Abdur Rashid Manik
Photo: Hussain Shetu
