An effort needs support

Momtaj (wearing shirt) on a routine checkup of fishes at one of his ponds. PHOTO: STAR

Seven years back, he used catch fish in open waterbodies and sell in markets for survival. He had no land and pond of his own. Often his family had to remain half-fed.

Twenty-four people now work in his project covering 19 big ponds and two marshes at Mushrat Doulzore village under Aditmari in Lalmonirhat district.

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Two of the ponds are owned by him and the rest leased. Over the years, he also bought seven bighas of cultivable land.

This year he expects to earn a profit of around Tk 20 lakh.

"I changed my lot only with hard labour and honesty", sad 38 year-old Momtaj.

"I had to borrow money from moneylenders as I did not get any help from any government agency, except a short training on fishery", he deplored while talking to this correspondent during a visit to the village.

Narrating his days before 1997, Momtaj said he could hardly manage two meals a day for his family.

He left home for Bogra in search of work.

As he had a fascination for fishery, he managed a job at a hatchery, 10 km east of Bgra town.

Success stories of fish farmers who went there to buy fries stirred his hidden craving for fishery.

After six months, he went back home.

He borrowed Tk 10,000 from a neighbour and leased two ponds for fish culture.

In one year, he earned a profit of Tk 15,000, after meeting all expenditures.

Enthused, Momtaj invested more money by taking loan from moneylenders and devoted all his energy and time to fish farming. He leased more ponds.

The nature did not betray his hard labour, but he could not convince the local fishery department officials.

Momtaj alleged that he sought help from the fisheries department, but got nothing except a short training. "What is the use of certificates if I do not get money?" He applied to the fisheries department thrice for loan, but was denied.

"People trust me. I borrowed money from moneylenders and rich people of the area on interest. Of course, they charge high interest rate.

"Had I been given loan from bank or any other organization, I could have earned more profit".

"I am now planning to set up a modern hatchery at my village so that unemployed youths can take training and be self-reliant. This will be easier if government helps me", he said