Real fishermen deprived but others get benefitsEnsure food assistance to real fishermen before ban period

Dashmina, Patuakhali

Ensure fishermen's rice to real fishermen before the ban period, take initiatives to make error-free fishermen list, ensure transparency while distributing rice, making arrangements to give the fishermen cards directly to the fishermen and not through middleman, ensure dignified compensation for the fishing ban, introduce ration system for marginal fisher families during the ban and create alternative income streams for them.

Today, September 16, 2025, speakers sought these demands at a human chain held in front of the Bashbaria Launchghat Bazar in Dashmina sub-district of Patuakhali district.

The human chain was organized by the Bashbaria small fishermen community in collaboration with the COAST Foundation.

The speakers were Mr. Altaf Hossain Akhan, the former chairman of Bashbaria Union Parishad, Mr. Enayet Kabir Farukh, President, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Basbaria Union, Mr. Nazrul Molla, Secretar, Jatiotabadi Jubodal, Dashmina, Raihan Badal, President, Climate Forum, Mr. Fayez Ahmed, Secretary, Dashmina Press Club, and many others from the local small fishing community, including Mr. Aminul Kazi, Mr. Alam Kazi, Mr. Mohin Majhi, Mr. Shahin, Mrs. Hasina, and Mrs. Jannatul.

Mr. Md. Altaf Akhan said that during the fishing ban, the necessary food assistance for fishermen should be provided on time, and in addition, the government should provide loans on easy terms to get fishermen out of the trap of local moneylenders.

Enayet Kabir Farrukh said that many people of other professions are being included in the registration list, excluding real fishermen, as a result of which people of other professions have enjoyed the benefits provided under the government's social safety net program through irregularities, which is unfair. Therefore, through this human chain, we demand that real fishermen be identified and brought under the government benefits.

Mr. Md. Mohan Khan said that every time fishermen do not get food benefits during the ban, they get them later. As a result, this assistance is not of much use to them. Every family goes through a lot of hardship during the ban period.

Mr. Rayhan Badol said that this system needs to be changed; we are calling for ensuring food supply to real fishermen at least one week before the ban, and the erroneous list must be corrected, people who are not fishermen but take benefits must be excluded, and ration system should be ensured for every small-scale fisher’s family during the ban period.

Mr. Shahin said that many other professions who have never fished or even gone near the riverbank have gotten fisherman cards and get food assistance from the government during the fishing ban every year. On the contrary, many who live only on fishing are not registered on the list and thus do not get government assistance.