BHOLA, June 23: Over 500 people in the coastal district have changed their poor living condition through modern commercial fish farming in recent times.
Most of them were workless before. According to field sources, now all of them are living well. The solvency has come in their common life. Their changed lifestyle has also attracted other locals. New fish growers are joining them. Profitable financial benefits in fisheries are inspiring unemployed people in Bhola.
Local official fish farming services and advisory centre has acted behind the growth of fishery entrepreneurship. Through this centre, fish farmers are getting modern technology-based all-out services of disease curing and safe production.
Directly and indirectly, these fish growers received fish farming services from that centre in the last six months. Along with increased fish production, local communities have got additional commercial and income opportunities.
A visit to Jahanpur Union in Char Fasson Upazila found true changes in living condition of many people.
Grower Md Rubel said, "I had started fish farming in a small pond at a cost of Tk 1 lakh. Now I have six farms." Recently he has sold fishes of Tk 10 lakh from his fisheries.
"I have been benefitted," he added.
But he had to overcome big challenges since the beginning of his entrepreneurship suffered setback of disease outbreak in his first pond-farm. Later on, he resorted to the advisory centre. His fishes were lab-tested to know reason of the disease and find its medicine.
Now, he re-started fish farming taking prescription from the centre. He applied medicines properly in his pond. And his success started to come. Huge employments have been created in his farm.
Growers Md Alamgir amnd Md Kabir Mia said, they have also adopted the modern system of fish farming, and they are getting both economic and social benefits.
The advisory centre was set up by Paribar Unnayan Sangstha in Char Fasson Upazila under the combined agriculture unit of PKSF (Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation) in January, this year. The hotline of the centre is available for 24/7 hours for fish growers.
Fisheries Officer of the combined agriculture unit Mehedi Azam said, due to lack of experiences, diseases, right directions, and natural disasters, many fish growers have to suffer damages. Their damages impact adversely on the fishery sector and the whole economy, he added.
District Fisheries Officer Mohammad Emdadullah said, in fish farming, Bhola District is still lying far behind compared to other districts in the country.
In order to make advancement of the fish farming, the technological assistance will have to be reached to grassroots level, he added.
He further said, the way private organizations are coming forward along with the government ones, a fishing revolution will take place.
With this, the potential fishery sector will expand a further way, the official maintained.
