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Illegal fish farming creates water-logging in villages

7 June 2009, 18:00 PM

NATIONAL

A Correspondent, Gopalganj

Influential people blocked opening of this culvert at Sidrabari village in Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj to cultivate fish.Photo: STAR

Fish farming by forcibly constructing dams on farmers' land and blocking the openings of culverts at Joyrampotti and Amboila in Agoiljhora upazila and Shuagram and Narayankhana in Kotalipara upazila has become a cause of concern for the villagers. The illegal practice done allegedly by a few influential people of Amboila village in Agoiljhora upazila of Barisal has created water-logging in hundreds of acres of land in the villages while the land owners are facing losses as carp variety of fish are eating Aman paddy there. A few farmers have alleged that they were not given share of the profit from selling fish although they were promised for it. Tension is prevailing in the villages over the matter. Locals said some influential people led by Siraj Hawlader using the name of Panchagram Matsya Samity, an unregistered association, have grabbed lands of scores of farmers in the said villages of the two upazilas. The grabbers have closed an LGED culvert at Sidrabari village of Kotalipara upazila, constructed dams in different water bodies and stopped movement of boats. Failing to catch fish in the water bodies, many fishermen have changed profession. Sekendar Miah, 60, a fisherman of Joyrampotti village, said he has seven and a half bighas of low land but he is not allowed to fish there. The land grabbers had promised to give him Tk 4,500 for a season but he is yet to get it, he said. He now drives van for a living. “The grabbers have closed the opening of the culvert on the canal in gross violation of law,” Liton Baroi, 24, a student hailing from Shuagram village, said. Asked about the matter, Siraj Hawlader admitted that Panchagram Matsya Samity is not a registered one. “The process of registration is going on. Some rivals are instigating villagers against the Samity,” he added. “Siraj Hawlader and his men are doing these illegal things. Several people of Kotalipara have also joined them. The upazila nirbahi officer and the upazila chairman have been informed of the matter,” said Niranjan Bala, acting chairman of Shuagram union. Kotalipara Upazila Chairman Kabir Mahmud said, “No project without government approval will be allowed to continue. We will do everything possible to protect interest of the people of Kotalipara upazila.”