BDRunner, Nov 16: Dried fish production has become an important and profitable sector in Pabna. Dried fish production has played a significant role in this district’s economy. This industry has developed around local fish from other beels and rivers, especially Chalanbil, Gajnar Beel, Ghughudah Beel, and others. Sathia Bera, Sujanagar Chatmohar, and Faridpur Upazilas of Pabna district are primarily known for dried fish production. Temporary dry fish sheds or open spaces have been built on the banks of beels and rivers in these areas. The primary season for dried fish processing is from November to December, when the water in the beel decreases at the end of the monsoon and sufficient sunlight is available for drying fish.
Talking to local dried fish traders, it is known that fishermen collect small fish such as punti, khalse, tengra, taki, shrimp, shoal, baim, bowal, batasi, koi, and magur from the beels and rivers, remove the waste inside the fish, wash the fish well with a net, and then dry the fish in the hot sun in a completely natural way on bamboo mats or in the open air. The dried fish are then sold to the dried fish traders.
Dried fish trader Amjad Hossain said that fish from Chalan beel is processed into dried fish and supplied to various parts of the country, including Saidpur and Bhanga. However, he expressed disappointment at not getting any incentives from the government. In this regard, District Fisheries Officer Deepak Kumar Pal said the target for dried fish production in the district this year is 150 metric tons. Thirty dried fish traders have already been trained, but there is no incentive system in place.
Due to the sound quality of Pabna dried fish, its demand is increasing day by day. Pabna dried fish is currently being exported across the country. This dried fish is being exported to more than 25 countries, including India, the Middle East, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Dubai. It is mainly appreciated by the expatriate Bengalis living in these countries. Due to the high demand for dried fish, the sector has become a promising one. Traders say it is possible to increase production and exports further if they receive government loan assistance. It is both an economic benefit and a source of employment.
However, the authorities concerned consider meeting the target for dried fish production a significant challenge due to the lack of fish, resulting from domestic fishing in canals and estuaries using Chinese gillnets and current nets. More than 1,000 families in the Santhia, Sujanagar, and Chalanbeel areas are involved in this dried fish industry. Male and female workers earn their living by working in the fish hatcheries daily. There is a lack of improved fish preservation and processing systems due to insufficient government oversight in this industry. Due to reduced fish production in the rivers, there is a shortage of raw materials.
Sometimes, there is a risk of loss as the market price does not match the cost of production.
Pabna’s dried fish has played an essential role in keeping the local economy alive and meeting demand for meat.
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