COX'S BAZAR, Dec 6: Nazirartek in Cox's Bazar has turned into the country's busiest hub for dry fish production. From dawn, the coastal belt buzzes with activity as workers wash, cut, and spread fish on bamboo racks to dry under the sun. With production already rising at the start of the season, traders expect a record year for exports.
The dry fish season, which began in November, will continue until July. Along the vast sandy stretches of Nazirartek, thousands of bamboo platforms are lined with fish drying throughout the day. Businessmen estimate that 50,000 to 60,000 metric tons of dry fish will be produced this season from Nazirartek and other coastal centres in the district, with exports worth Tk 400 crore.
Spread over nearly 100 acres, Nazirartek employs around 20,000 workers, most of them women. Traditionally, production peaks between November and April, though some continues in other months if rainfall is low. Freshly caught fish from the sea are dried for three to four days before being sent to local markets or packed for export.
Besides Nazirartek, more than 300 other drying centres operate in Nuniachhara, Khurushkul, Chaufaldandi, Sonadia, Maheshkhali, Ukhiya, Kutubdia, Teknaf, and Saint Martin's.
A visit to Nazirartek revealed over 50 centres drying nearly 25 species of fish, including rupchanda, churi, coral, surma, loittya, poa, tekchanda, faissya, and naila. Fishermen bring their catch from the deep sea and sell to the centres. Traders said Nazirartek alone produces 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of dry fish each season, valued at more than Tk 400 crore.
Rashida Khatun, 32, a worker at Nazirartek, shared, "I start work at dawn, washing fish and arranging them on the racks. It's tough, but the income during the season helps run my family and pay for my children's schooling."
Another worker, Nurul Amin, 41, said, "Sometimes going into the deep sea is risky, but when the catch is good, everyone benefits. This is when we earn the most."
Women remain at the heart of the workforce. "We work all day under the sun," said Ayesha Begum, 28. "Even then, we are happy because the yards offer steady work for women. Whatever I earn each day covers all my household expenses."
Labourer Saber Ahmed, 45, added, "Thousands of kilograms of fish dry here daily. The work is heavy, but with experience we manage efficiently. Teamwork is what keeps production smooth."
Dried fish prices vary depending on species and demand. Loittya sells for Tk 1,000-1,400 per kg, chhuri for Tk 800-1,800, shrimp for Tk 1,000-1,500, poa for Tk 500-800, maitya for Tk 800-1,600, coral for Tk 1,500-1,900, and rupchanda for Tk 1,800-2,500.
AKM Neyamat Ullah, President of the Nazirartek Dried Fish Traders' Cooperative Association, said over 50 warehouses and around 2,000 traders now operate in the area, producing nearly 200 tonnes of dried fish per day.
Cox's Bazar Fish Traders' Unity Council President Osman Gani Tulu said, "Last year, exports to Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Indonesia brought in Tk 1.45 crore from dried poa alone. If production remains strong this year, total export earnings may reach Tk 400 crore."
