GOPALGANJ, Dec 19: About 20,000 fishermen families have been living in hardship for long as most of the water bodies in the district are drying up fast.
According to the district fisheries office sources, a total of 98,262 hectares of wetland are surrounding the district.
Of that 129 canals, four rivers, 63 beels, 144 khas ponds, 16,561 private ponds, five water bodies and 7,204 ghers in the district.
Some 17,884 grassroots fish farmers are cultivating different varieties of fish in 7,204 ghers on commercial basis, the fisheries office sources added.
The remaining ponds are yet to be brought under fish cultivation programme, official sources added.
Officials at the fisheries office said annual fish demand in the district is 16,106 tonnes and the production is around 20,191 tonnes.
Besides, officials at a local NGO said total demand is about 23,179 tonnes but the production is around 14,012 tonnes annually.
A good number of fishermen in the district said they have been suffering a lot as the open water bodies in the area are drying up fast.
They said insufficient rain, drought and unplanned digging of canals in the name of construction of flood control embankments are the main reasons for the present situation.
Saylendranath Barmon of Durgapur village under Sadar upazila said authorities should immediate steps for excavation of the existing rivers, ponds and other water bodies.
Besides, genuine fisherman should be given permanent lease of the wet land, Saylen further said.
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