Flood: Fish farm owners in Netrokona suffer losses of Tk 115.7m

Fish and fish spawns from some 26,417 waterbodies and farms worth Tk 115.7 million have been washed away during the recent flood in Netrokona, reports UNB.

Most of the fish farmers had taken loans from banks, which have become a burden now. The flood ruined their dreams as they have lost everything they had invested in fish farming.

Md Rokonuzzaman Khan Khokon, owner of Nipa Agro Fisheries, said that he had cultivated various species of fish.

“All the fishes were ready for sale. I hoped I would get Tk 30 million by selling these fish. But sudden flood has destroyed everything,” he said.

“I had taken Tk 1.2 million as loan from a bank. I don’t know how I’ll repay my debt,” Khokon said.

Md Arifur Rahman and Mukhlesur Rahman, two other fish farm owners, said that they cultivated fish worth Tk 20 million.

They too had taken a loan of Tk 19 million from a bank. But all of their fish have been washed away by the floods.

“I had taken Tk 1.1 million as loan from Bangladesh Krishi Bank. I had also taken money from some of my acquaintances. I had invested a total of Tk 3 million in fish farming. But everything went in vein due to the floods,”

“I’ll have to spend the rest of my life in repaying my debts,” said Md Ilyas Talukder, another fish farmer from Netrokona’s Baushi union.

According to Mohammad Shahjahan Kabir, fisheries officer of Netrokona district, a total of 15,826 fish farmers and fish farm owners have been affected due to the devastating flood in the district.

“Around 3,500 hectares of area used for fish farms have been affected by the flood. Farmers incurred losses of Tk 115.7 million,” said Shahjahan.