Thousands of people from different parts of Thakurgaon have gathered at Burir Bandh on the Shuk River to take part in a traditional fishing festival marking the beginning of winter.

The fishing ground, located between Akcha and Chilarang unions in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila, is opened to the public at the start of winter every year, turning the area into a lively gathering of fishing enthusiasts.

The five sluice gates of Burir Bandh were opened on Friday night. As the water level receded, fishermen and people from nearby villages and different parts of the district began catching fish early Saturday.

A visit to the site found people of all ages, including women, children and elderly people, wading through the muddy water with fishing nets, traditional bamboo traps known as polo, spears and other equipment. Some who had no fishing gear were also catching fish with their bare hands.

Participants brought various types of fishing equipment, including fika, lafijal, current nets, ring nets and chatka nets.

According to the Thakurgaon office of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the sluice gates were built on the Shuk River around 1951-52 to provide irrigation for agricultural land during the dry season. The project later came to be known as Burir Bandh.

Water is stored there during the monsoon to support cultivation on higher agricultural land. The Department of Fisheries releases different species of fish fingerlings into the water each year, while the Akcha and Chilarang union parishads oversee their care. At the beginning of winter, the water is released and the area is opened to the public for fishing.

Mitul Hasan, a resident of Thakurgaon town, said he comes to the site every year to catch fish.

“Many people come here from different places. It feels great to catch fish together. The place turns into a fair for the day, although not many fish are available this year,” he said.

Fishermen said the sluice gates remain open for several days, allowing fishing to continue during that period, but the crowd is largest on the first day.

They also said fish catches had declined over the past two to three years. Some blamed the widespread use of ring nets and current nets for the depletion of native fish species. They also alleged that the proper quantity of fish fingerlings was not released every year and raised concerns about possible misappropriation of funds.

Local resident Mozammel Haque said he arrived early in the morning and fished until 9am, catching around two kilograms of fish, including puti and tengra.

“I mainly come here for fun and to enjoy the occasion. I will take the fish home and enjoy eating them with my family,” he said.

BWDB Thakurgaon Executive Engineer Atiqur Rahman said the Department of Fisheries releases fish fingerlings into the water stored during the monsoon, and the area is opened for fishing after the water is released at the beginning of winter.