Fishermen are taking care of dried fish at Dublar Char in the Sundarbans. photo: Messenger
The much-awaited shutki (dried fish) season has kicked off in Dublar Char in Sundarbans along the Bay of Bengal.
Fishermen have flocked to the region, eager to begin the process of making shutki.
Fishermen started making their way to Dublar Char after obtaining permits from the forest department. Upon their early morning arrival at Dublar Char, a group of fishermen commenced constructing temporary shelters, while another group ventured into the sea to catch fish. The first batch of fish has already been caught and set out to dry. This labor-intensive endeavor will span five months.
In preparation for this season, coastal fishermen in various regions readied their nets, repaired boats, and gathered equipment during the dry season. Subsequently, fishermen from different areas assembled in Mongla on Thursday, all gearing up for Dublar.
Rana Dev, assistant conservator of forests (ACF) of East Sundarban Forest Division, confirmed that the dry season in Dublar Char officially commenced on November 3.
This dry season is set to continue until March 31, requiring thousands of fishermen to reside there for five consecutive months. They must construct temporary mud huts, fish drying sheds, and lofts to accommodate their stay along the seashore. Importantly, the construction of these structures must not utilize any trees from the Sundarbans. Following forest department guidelines, fishermen traveling to Dublar Char are ensuring they carry all necessary materials with them.
Dilip Majumder, officer at Alorkol temporary camp and Dubla Fishery Rural Patrol Outpost said, fishermen from different coastal regions departed on Friday night and reached Dublar Char early in the morning. These fishermen, who arrived on Friday morning, have already started constructing their temporary residences.
Building the fishermen's accommodations will take two to three days. Simultaneously, upon their early morning arrival, fishermen began fishing in the sea with nets and boats, with the first catch from Friday's nets arriving at noon. The fishermen processed and dried the fish.
Md. Farooq, a shopkeeper in Dublar Char, reported that fishermen from various coastal areas initially anchored in the Mongla River and Pasur River in Mongla on Thursday. After obtaining permits from the forest department, they began their journey to Dublar char late on Friday night. Departures occurred throughout the night and into the early morning, with some fishermen even setting off at noon. He added that he runs his own grocery and oil business on the island, emphasizing that, at the end of the season, fishermen and traders will return to their respective areas.
As per the Sundarban East Forest Department, approximately 30 thousand fishermen from various coastal regions will gather at Dublar Char during this dry season. These fishermen will utilize around one and a half thousand trawlers to fish in the deep sea, selecting different fish species and proceeding to dry them. The dried goods will subsequently be distributed to different locations.
This year, the forest department has granted permission for the setup of 1,108 fishermen's residences and 78 depots for the accommodation of fishermen and storage of dried goods. During the previous dry season, the forest department generated revenues of Tk 6 crore from Dublar Char. For the current season, their target is set at Tk 7 crore.
Despite the challenges and uncertainties, thousands of fishermen will be dedicated to producing shutki in Dubla Char for five months, all in pursuit of profit and loss calculations, while their families back home bear the anxiety of potential natural disasters such as storms and floods.
At the season's end, these fishermen and traders will return to their homes to reconcile their outcomes.
Messenger/Fardin
