Environmental activists on Wednesday urged the government to take initiatives to protect fishing community’s rights at a national dialogue at the National Press Club in the capital. They made the demand at the dialogue on Coastal Hilsa and Fishing Community, organised by the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, the Waterkeepers Bangladesh and the Sunderbans and Coast Protection Movement. They also demanded to establish organisations for the fishing community people at the national level to protect their rights. BAPA president Sultana Kamal, who chaired the event, said, ‘We cannot give any positive information about the complaints made by the fishing community people. It is a failure of all concerned.’
Most of the fishing community people cannot reap benefits of the allowance cards given by the government because of irregularities, she said, adding that the government should pay more attention to social and cultural development of the people along with infrastructural development. Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University’s Aquaculture department chair Mir Muhammad Ali said that Bangladesh ranked the 3rd in the world fishing and the 1st in Hilsa fishing.
The single contribution of Hilsa to the GDP is 12% and 80% of the world’s Hilsa comes from Bangladesh. Citing his research information, he said, ‘Public and private activities should be carried out together, funds should be raised for livelihood improvement of the fishing community people.’
He also said, ‘Illegal establishments should also be stopped to improve the livelihood of fishing community people and resolve the crisis of Hilsa.’ BAPA general secretary Sharif Jamil wanted to know why the common people were not getting Hilsa if the production of Hilsa increased according to the government survey. Fisheries researcher Syed Ali Azhar said that salary and emergency insurance should be arranged for the people along with preservation of Hilsa.
Speakers at the dialogue demanded to ensure adequate security to protect fishing community people from pirates and robbers. They urged the government to ensure transparency of previous research on development projects to protect Hilsa sanctuaries and ensure the proper implementation of the protection laws enacted to protect Hilsa.