Even in the full season, the price of hilsa is 2025 taka!

Even in the full season of Ashad-Shravan-Bhadra Hilsa, Bhola Meghna-Tentulia does not meet the desired Hilsa. Meanwhile, questions are swirling in the minds of common people in the southern region about the price of hilsa. Even five-seven years ago, hilsa of less than one kg was sold in the retail market for Tk 500 to Tk 800 in this season. Above 1 kg is 1 thousand to 1 thousand 200 taka.

Pradeep Biswas lamented and told the media that the children are eager to eat hilsa. But after hearing the price, I did not dare. If the price of hilsa is so high during the season, how can people buy it! And why is it still so expensive?

Like Pradeep Biswas, questions are swirling in the minds of the common people of the southern region. Even five-seven years ago, hilsa of less than one kg was sold in the retail market for Tk 500 to Tk 800 in this season. Above 1 kg is 1 thousand to 1 thousand 200 taka.

While looking for answers to the questions of ordinary buyers, it was found that the hilsa extracted from the river and the sea goes through four rounds to reach the buyers in the retail market. The price of hilsa increases at each step. Referring to these steps as 'thief traps', the concerned say that a fisherman in Barguna's Patharghata sold a hilsa weighing one kilogram and got Tk 1,350. Buyers have to buy that hilsa for 2 thousand 25 taka. This extra 675 rupees goes into the pockets of middlemen.

Talking to fishermen and businessmen, it is known that the price of hilsa in the wholesale market is determined by these traders according to the situation. Because, the swindlers are among the fishermen. As the catch and price of fish increase, more commission (interest) they get. As a result, the price of hilsa is being manipulated by the trappers. Apart from this, apart from doubling the price of fuel, due to the increase in the price of ice and daily commodities, the cost of hilsa extraction has now more than doubled. It affects the market system.

The hilsa extracted from the sea and river comes to the wholesale market. There, the trawler fishermen have to sell the fish from the catch they have taken. In return, Artaddar gets a commission from the fish sold. Artadars pay between one and a half to three lakh taka per fisherman during the season. For this, the condition of the Artaddars is that the money of Dadan will remain as original and they will keep the profit after selling the caught fish. They named it commission.

These fish are sold by wholesalers. Wholesalers also get a fixed commission. Traders bought this fish and took it to big places in different parts of the country. They took it there and sold it to retailers at another profit. After the retailers make another round of profit, it goes directly to the customer.

Alam Mollah, vice president of Patharghata BFDC Matsya Artdadar Malik Samiti, said business is involved in each of the four stages. Again, the interests of many influential people are involved here. So no one can reduce it individually. Apart from that, Hilsa is a royal fish, so big traders always keep its market upward.

On the other hand, after going to Elisha Junction fish ghat of Bhola Sadar and talking to some fishermen, it is known that fisherman Aman got fish in Meghna for one day and one night only for 500 rupees. But he spent nine and a half thousand rupees to hunt this fish.

Fisherman Sahabuddin got a fish worth 1,300 rupees. Against this, he has spent 10 thousand rupees.

Although it is prohibited, many fishermen are hunting fish in the river with current nets. Similarly, a fisherman, on condition of anonymity, got a fish worth 2 thousand one hundred and fifty rupees with a current net. But he spent 11 thousand rupees.

Regarding the use of current nets, he and other fishermen said that now some hilsa fish are found far away from Bhola in Hatia, Subarnachar area of ​​Sagar Mohana. It takes a lot of fuel to get there. You have to take the current net. Because the fish does not get trapped in the thread net. Mohammad Abu Kashem, a fisherman of Shibpur's Bholar Canal area, also said that he could not get fish in the river.

District Fisheries Officer Biswajit Dev said about the decline in fish, many divers in the north from Bhola's char fashion after the Sagar Mohana. So the depth of water there is less. Hilsa is a deep water fish. Many times it does not want to move forward due to submergence, so hilsa is less available in Shahbazpur channel of Meghna.

Meanwhile, this fisheries officer does not agree with the words of fishermen who do not catch hilsa in thread nets. He said illegal current nets are more readily available and cheaper than twine nets. Fishermen therefore argue in favor of current netting.

Those concerned say that an organized syndicate has been formed in the last decade from the wholesale to the retail market of the country based on the hilsa fish business. It is very difficult to break this syndicate formed under the auspices of political influencers. Even if the government changes, the new comers take control of these syndicates.

Bangladesh /RH