Flood brings woe to fish farmers in Lalmonirhat

Around 15 thousand fish farmers in five upazilas under the district are badly affected by the ongoing flood that washed away fishes from their 4,000 fish farms.

"We 110 landless farmers are dependent on fish farming in a 92-acre leased government water body at the village. But sudden onrush of water from the upstream across the border overflowed the fish project area, washing away fishes," said Mahasin Ali at Dighaltari village of Aditmari upazila under the district.

"We took loan from NGOs for fish farming in the water body, but we have lost the investment due to the flood," said Nafir Uddin of the same village.

Noor Hossain, 55, of Char Kulaghat village in Lalmonirhat Sadar said he and five other fish farmers in the village cultivated fishes in a 10-acre pond with the money borrowed from a local NGO, but all fishes of the pond have been washed away.

"We are now worried about paying the loan with interest," he said.

Fisherman Nazrul Islam, 60, of Namuri village in Aditmari upazila said he and three partners had hoped to earn at least Tk 4 lakh from fish farming in two ponds comprising eight acres of land but all the fishes have been washed away.

The ongoing flood has washed away this fish enclosure at Mogholhat village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila. PHOTO: STAR

Fishes from 4,000 farms in the district have been washed away by the recent flood, causing loss of about Tk 10 crore to at least 15 thousand fish farmers, said sources at the district fisheries office.

"I have already sent letter in this regard to the office of the director general of fisheries department, seeking help for the flood affected fish farmers," said Latifur Rahman, district fisheries officer.