Meghna-River

Dr. Nusrat Jahan had grown up believing the rivers of Bangladesh could hold any secret and keep it forever. She had not expected one to answer back. The launch from Bhola town took five hours through brown water the colour of strong tea. October monsoon rain hammered the tin roof of the cabin. By the time Char Kukri rose out of the mist, a flat island of mud and kash grass, with the drilling rig standing on it like a steel needle through a sleeping animal’s skin, her ears were already ach...

The supply of hilsa has suddenly increased in the Meghna and Tetulia rivers in Char Fasson of Bhola. Over the past three to four days, fishermen have caught hilsa in large numbers in their nets. Various fish landing centers including Samraj, Betua, Dhalchar, Khejurgachhia, Panchkapat, Atkapot and Mainuddin have become lively again. Fishermen are catching up to two to three maunds of hilsa in a single trip per boat. Fishermen who have been facing a shortage of fish for a long time are seei...

The peak season for hilsa is underway in the Meghna River. Fishermen have become busier on the river. Boats and trawlers are returning to the landing stations one after another. However, fishermen are frustrated as they are not getting the expected amount of hilsa. Along with the lower catch, fishing costs have increased. As a result, many fishermen have no reason to smile even during the peak season. Meanwhile, hilsa prices are high in local markets. A one-kilogram hilsa is being priced...