Naogaon traders busy processing dry fish

Dry fish traders of Naogaon's Atrai upazila are now passing busy time in processing dry fish.

Water bodies in the upazila have filled with local varieties of fish because of  last year's flood.

Fishermen are netting huge quantities of fish and selling at different markets.
Earlier, dry fish traders incurred a huge loss as local varieties of fishes could not be produced on a large scale due to lack of flood water in the ponds and other water bodies.

Atrai is famous for fish production and processing dry fish in the northern region.

Everyday, hundreds of tons of fish are being transported to other districts.

Atrai's dry fish are sent to capital Dhaka and 20/25 districts including Northern Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram and Dinajpur.

Bhartentulia village in Atrai upazila is particularly known for producing dry fish.Over 100 families of the village are involved in processing dry fish.  

Upazila fisheries officer Polash Chanda Debnath said they impart training to the dry fish producers every year. Besides, they are given advice on how to preserve and marketing dry fish maintaining quality for long time, he added.   

Those involved with the profession are also provided with various assistance  including of financial help.

Naogaon-6 lawmaker and district Awami League joint general secretary M Israfil Alam said the government is working to improve the life standard of those involved in dry fish trading.

"Plans have also been undertaken to earn foreign currency by exporting dry fish," the MP said.

ARR/LY