Speakers at a discussion have said some 200 fisher families in Savar are to lead a miserable life, losing their main livelihood for eight months every year due to water pollution in Turag River. They said many of the fishermen of Majhirdia village in Savar under Dhaka district are forced to stay unemployed from October-May every year due to lack of fishes in Turag River, caused by acute water pollution. So, they need to lead their life taking loans with high interest rates at the time, they added. Also read : Coast Guard rescues 13 stranded fishermen from sea after trawler breaks down River and Delta Research Centre (RDRC), a non-government organization, arranged the discussion at Majhirdia village under Kaundia Union in Savar on Saturday, said a press release. The RDRC also donated 3 water pumps at Srighat area in the village to ensure safe water for the fisher families. Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) Mihir Biswas, Secretary of Turag River Protection Committee Masum Sardar, President of Global Law Thinker Society Raoman Smita, Secretary of River Bangladesh Foysal Ahmed, coordinator of Water Keepers’ Bangladesh Sharif Jamil, writer Robiul Alam, chairman of Safe Development Foundation Ibnul Sayeed Rana, among others, spoke at the discussion presided over by RDRC chairman Mohammad Azaz. Also read : Ctg flood causes loss of Tk 70cr for fish sector They said a race of encroachment and pollution continues in Turag River as numerous industries and factories were built on the banks of the river. The effluents of the factories are polluting the river. So, thousands of people who are dependent on the river are losing their livelihood, they added. The speakers said the fisher families are deprived of access to safe water due to the river pollution. The families are not getting other facilities like ‘fishing allowance’ unemployment allowance and elderly allowance, they claimed. Also read : Coast Guard seizes banned fishing nets worth near Tk 9 cr In this context, many fishers are changing their profession, losing their livelihood, said the environment activists. 

River police recovered the body of a fisherman from Chandpur on Saturday, four days after the fishing boat he was on capsized in Meghna River after being hit by a ferry. Police recovered the floating body of Sanu Gazi, 60, son of Rahim Gazi of Bahria village in the Sadar upazila, from the Harina Ghat area around 12pm,  confirmed Mizanur Rahman, in-charge of Harina River police outpost. Last Tuesday at midnight, seven fishermen went to the Meghna River for netting fish. Later, the fishing boat was hit by a ferry named Golam Maula due to the thick fog and sank. All but Sanu Gazi managed to swim ashore. The coast guard and river police conducted search operations but failed to trace him, said the officer. The body was handed over to his family members after due procedures, he said. Read more: Bangladeshi fisherman injured in firing by Myanmar border force

A fishermen drowned in the Mahananda River while fishing at Barogharia in Sadar upazila of Chapainawabganj district on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Shukuddi, 65, son of Aftab Ali of the upazila. Read more: Schoolboy drowns at waterfall in CU Shukuddi went to the river by a boat for catching fish in the morning, said Saber Ali, deputy assistant director of Chapainawabganj Fire Service and Civil Defense. At one stage, he fell into the river from the boat and went missing. Read more: Madrasah boy drowns trying to save distressed man in Cox's Bazar On information, drivers from local fire service rushed to the spot and fished out his body from the river around 10:30 am, said Saber Ali.

A fisherman was killed and another suffered injuries as a launch hit their fishing boat in the Meghna River in Bhola early Saturday. The deceased was identified as Md Kamal Jomaddar, 40, son of Aziz Jomaddar of Kondokpur village in Rajapur union of the upazila. The injured is Yusuf, son of Jasim Dhali of the same area. Locals said a launch hit their boat while they were fishing in the Meghna River of Rajapur union in the early hours of Saturday. Yusuf managed to swim ashore but Kamal went missing. Read: Death toll from Karatoa boat capsize rises to 68 On information, Coast Guard members started a rescue operation in the area and recovered the body of Kamal around 2pm today, said the Coast Guard’s South Zone Media Officer Lieut. KM Shafiul Kinzel. The dead body will be handed over to the family of the deceased following due process, Shafiul added.    

A fisherman was killed after being hit by a thunderbolt at Uttar Bagh Haor in Haripur union of Jaintiapur upazila in the early hours of Monday.The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahim,65, a resident of Uttarbagh village of the upazila. Also read: Lightning kills farmer in DinajpurGolam Dastgir Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of Jaintapur Police Station, said a streak of thunderbolts struck while Rahim was fishing on the Haor of the village during the rain around 12am.Later, he was rushed to the Upazila Health Complex where the doctor declared him dead, said the OC. Also read: Lightning kills two in NatoreThe body was handed over to the family.

A fisherman was injured by a Royal Bengal Tiger on the Bhola river in Chandpai Range of the Sundarbans on Sunday morning. Abu Saleh Akon, 45, son of Amir Ali of Bajikarkhand village in Mongla upazila of Bagerhat district, survived the attack. He has been making his living by fishing in the Sundarbans for almost 30 years. He is currently undergoing treatment at Mongla Upazila Health Complex. According to family sources, Abu Saleh and Md Hanif went to catch fish and crabs in the rivers and canals of the Sundarbans when a tiger attacked Abu Saleh while he was netting in Amurbunia area of Bhola river around 8am. At one point, Abu Saleh jumped into the river and the tiger left him and returned to the forest. Also read: The big cat count: Tiger census in Sunderbans begins in April Later, Hanif rescued him and rushed him to the Health Complex. Faisal Hossain Swarna, a doctor at the Health Complex, said there are several marks created by tiger's paws and teeth on the fisherman’s body. “But he is out of danger now.” However, Jahangir Alam, Jiudhara station officer of Chandpai range in the eastern part of the Sundarbans, said that Abu Saleh had entered the forest without permission from the Forest Department. “It was not possible for the Forest Department to provide any assistance to the fisherman as he entered the forest without permission.” Also read: Tiger recovered from Sundarbans canal most likely died of natural causes Muhammad Belayet Hossain, divisional forest officer (DFO) of the Eastern Division of the Sundarbans, said the matter is being investigated. At least 50 fishermen and beekeepers from Sharankhola, Morelganj and Mongla upazilas adjacent to the Sundarbans in Bagerhat got injured in tiger attacks in 20 years. Some have lost their eyes in these attacks.

Bangladesh Coast Guard rescued 15 fishermen who had been stranded on a trawler for three days in the Bay of Bengal after receiving a call from the National Emergency Service 999 on Sunday. The trawler with the fishermen was adrift in the sea about 15-20 km south-east of Bhasan Char after an engine failure on Thursday. It sailed from Noakhali’s Hatia on September 20. On Sunday afternoon one of the stranded fishermen named Jewel called 999 for help on the third day of their plight soon after network his mobile got back network. He also informed about their location. The SOS was immediately relayed to the control of the coast guard as well as their team at Bhsan Char, which rushed to rescue the fishermen. Bhasanchar Coast Guard JCO Shafiq, a member of the rescue team, confirmed the rescue operation.. The rescued fishermen were later brought to Bhasan Char, he added.

Gurudev Haldar, a local fisherman, caught an 18.2-kg Catla fish from the Padma River at Char Karneshna in Goalanda upazila early Saturday to change his fortune. Talking to local newsmen, the lucky fisherman of Pabna Kajirhat said he along with his associates went out on a predawn fishing mission in the river. Read Researchers find way to save Kakila fish from extinction: BFRI At one stage, Gurudev and his men netted the giant Catla and later sold it in an auction fetching a huge amount.  Mohammad Chandu Mollah, a local fish trader, bought the fish at Tk 25,400 -- Tk 1,400 per kg – in the auction at a local fish market adjacent to Daulatdia Ghat in the morning. Now Chandu expects to sell it at Tk 1,500 per kg. Read Hilsa Ilisha: The National Fish and Silver Pride of Bangladesh About the river condition and availability of fish, Chandu said, “The river water has started receding with the weakening of monsoon, and many fish like Catla, Rui, Boal, Pangas are now found in abundance. Fishermen from Manikganj and Pabna districts are having a good time with amazing catches,” he said. Mohamamd Rezaul Sharif, a fisheries official of Goalanda, said huge fish are expected to be netted now as Padma water keeps receding. Read How Jashore’s fisheries output grew in the midst of a pandemic