Cultivation of Stinging Catfish (Shing) has brought solvency to thousands of poor people in the district. The district fisheries department said farmers of Shibganj, Shonatola, Shariakandi, Dhunot, Dupchanchia, Adamdighi, Kahaloo, Nandigram, Shah-jadpur and Sadar upazilas are cultivating the indigenous fish over 13,350 hectares of waterbody this year with 640 tonnes of production target. Shing is gradually disappearing from the country’s northwest region as cultivation of exotic and hybrid fish varieties have been increased. Shing is being sold in the retail market at Tk 400 to Tk 600 per kg and the wholesale market price is Tk 350 to Tk 500. Shahed Parvez, a fish farmer of Dhunot upazila, said he is cultivating shing in a big pond this season spending Tk 45,000. He has already earned Tk 60,000 on the first day of Ramadan. The rest may be sold at Tk 50,000 if the price remains stable till the last day of Ramadan. District fisheries officer Rawshan Ara said, “We encourage the fish farmers to cultivate the indigenous ones in their waterbodies abundantly.”