Photo: Messenger
Influential individuals have unlawfully encroached upon and fenced off a sprawling, approximately 1000-acre waterbody in the historic Chandarbil area of Gopalganj. The encroachers have employed bamboo fences and nets for fish farming, which has led to the local fishermen and ordinary villagers in Radhanagar village of Satpar Union under Sadar Upazila, being deprived of their means of earning a livelihood.
Protests against this injustice have resulted in physical violence and threats to the lives of those standing up for their rights. As a result, their daily subsistence is disrupted, and they grapple with hunger and malnutrition.
Chandarbil, a renowned location in Gopalganj district, is famed for its collection of indigenous fish species. This pristine area is situated across Sadar Upazila, Mukusudpur, and Kashiyanee Upazila, attracting attention from impoverished communities.
The influential parties in this region engage in fish farming within the water body, rearing, and selling fish and shrimp. However, common fisherfolk and local residents are prohibited from fishing or even harvesting water lilies. Any attempt to do so is met with physical violence and threats.
Elias Kazi, a subsistence fisherman, spoke out about their ordeal, highlighting that while they own land of 3 to 5 bighas near the waterbody, the encroachers lack any legal claim to the area. They aggressively fish within the three ponds, spanning nearly a thousand acres, without the landowners' consent, resorting to threats when the local residents attempt to catch fish or gather water lilies.
On the other hand, prosperous fish farmers like Dulal Mandal cultivate rice and jute on their land, but bird damage to their crops has driven them to release fish into the waterbody to control the issue. Any protest is met with threats of harm, despite appeals to the Union Chairman and the District Administration resulting in no action being taken.
Kalipad Mandal and Gour Mandal, who rely on fishing for their livelihoods, expressed their struggles in resisting the influential individuals and the hardships they endure. Their plea is for the waterbody to be accessible once more.
Ushol Bairagi, with 4 to 5 years of experience in the area, added that peace prevailed until a recent incident triggered this crisis. The root cause appears to be an ongoing political rivalry between the current Union Chairman, Pronab Biswas Bappy, and former Chairman Sujit Mandal. The local residents maintain that they do not encroach on anyone's land and only seek the restoration of their rights.
Chairman Pronab Biswas Bappy acknowledged the written complaint submitted by the Radhanagar village residents, affirming his efforts to mediate between the parties as directed by the Deputy Commissioner. However, the fish farmers have not accepted his resolution, leading to a written communication of the issue to the Deputy Commissioner.
Executive Magistrate Mahsin Uddin of Gopalganj Sadar Upazila has stated that the Union Chairman was entrusted with investigating the matter, but the fish farmers have not adhered to the decision reached. He will now launch an investigation and take appropriate legal measures to address the situation.
Messenger/Fardin
