An educated youth shows the way

Nurul Huq (extreme left wearing white shirt) examining koi fish grown in one of his ponds. PHOTO: STAR

A K M Nurul Huq, who obtained Masters degree in Mathematics from Dhaka University in 1990, started fish farming in 1992 in a 50 decimal pond. Now he cultivates fish in 60 ponds covering 2000 decimal waterbodies.

But his road to success was not easy. The greatest obstacle came from his family members, who opposed his plan, saying fish cultivation is not befitting for any one after obtaining the highest university degree. They pressed him to look for a job.

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"But I was determined to do something which will bring me fortune and create employment for others", he said while talking tot this correspondent.

Nurul Huq's determination helped him not only fulfil his mission. This also earned him laurels. He got national awards in 1997 and 1998. He is well known among fish farmers in greater Mymensingh now.

His approach was different from others. He thought how to protect the indigenous varieties of fish, which are threatened due to cross-breeding and large scale commercial cultivation of foreign varieties.

With only Tk 40000 in hand, Nurul Huq set up a hatchery--Brahmaputra Fish Seed Complex--at Puliamari in Sadar upazila in a 50 decimal pond.

"Now he produces fish fries including that of endangered varieties which are supplied to fish farmers in different areas of the country. Fries of endangered varieties like koi, magur (cat fish), chitol, pabda and khailsha are being produced in his hatchery.

"I want to breed and preserve all kinds of endangered varieties", he said.

Nurul Huq said, after repeated attempts, he was successful in breeding Koi fish in his hatcheries in 2002 without any technical support from any quarter. "I was the first man in the country to breed Koi fish in pond", he said.

Now he earns around Tk 10 lakh a month after meeting all expenditures and employs 70 people.

Nurul Huq took training on fish farming at the Fisheries Faculty in Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU) and the Youth Development Directorate. But he alleged that the Fisheries Research Institute (FRI) in Mymensingh was of little help.

About his present condition, Nurul Huq, a father of two children, told the Daily Star that he is very happy as he got national awards twice and also wealth from this profession.

"Many educated youths now come to me for advice on fish farming.

"I cordially receive them", said Nurul Huq.

Fish farming has become popular in Mymensingh district now. Fish fries and eggs are produced in several hundred hatcheries in Sadar, Gouripur, Trishal, Bhaluka and Phulpur upazilas. These are supplied to other districts. Over one lakh fish farmers including some women are engaged in fish cultivation in 113000 ponds in 12 upazilas of Mymensingh district. This has created jobs for several lakh people.

There has been a 'silent revolution' in fish cultivation in the district, said Tayed Ali of Ragabpur village in the Sadar upazila, a fish farmer who also received national award.

Ali, owner of "Bhai Bhai Hatchers and Fish Seed" said about one-third of the demand for fish fries in the country is now met by hatcheries in Mymensingh. Buyers from different districts visit hatcheries in Sadar and Gouripur upazila every Friday to buy fish fries and eggs, he said.

Ali, who started fish farming as a pauper in 1990s, now cultivates fish in 18 ponds covering 17 acres.

District Fishery Officer (DFO) Md Abdul Khaleque said annual demand for fish in Mymensingh is about 66,000 tonnes. The production has reached 95,000 tonnes. If this trend continues, annual production will reach 1,50,000 tonnes by 2010. The country's total annual demand for fish is about 8,00,000 tonnes, he said.

The number of ponds and waterbodies under fish farming is increasing every year, creating more jobs. Over 23000 women are also involved in fish cultivation, he said.

Replying to a question, the DFO said they only provide short training. Over 12000 fish farmers were trained in last two years. "We have also started training for hatchery owners so that they can do cross breeding, rear brood fishes and collect eggs scientifically", the DFO added.

Many hatchery owners are doing cross-breeding from mother fishes without knowing its bad effects in future. To stop such practice, we have trained over 100 hatchery owners in Mymensingh, Netrokona, Jamalpur and Tangail districts in last two years, he said. They have learnt how to scientifically collect eggs from brood fishes.