Shrimp fry collection goes on in Meghna damaging biodiversity | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Thursday
June 12, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2025
Shrimp fry collection goes on in Meghna damaging biodiversity

Environment

Sana Ullah Sanu
02 July, 2022, 01:20 pm
Last modified: 02 July, 2022, 02:51 pm

Related News

  • Bodies of 2 women recovered 13 hours after autorickshaw plunges off ferry into Meghna
  • 60 travellers rescued by Coast Guard from drifting trawler in Meghna river
  • Trawler capsize: Most passengers rescued but 3 dead, child still missing
  • Trawler capsizes in Meghna River in Noakhali: 1 dead; 6 still missing, including cop
  • Dozens of livestock carcasses float in Meghna River in Lakshmipur after tidal surge

Shrimp fry collection goes on in Meghna damaging biodiversity

Sana Ullah Sanu
02 July, 2022, 01:20 pm
Last modified: 02 July, 2022, 02:51 pm
Around 50,000 people are involved in shrimp fry collection from the Meghna river in different upazilas of Lakshmipur. But, in the process of collecting fry, the hunters kill around 70-80 fries of other fish species. PHOTO: TBS
Around 50,000 people are involved in shrimp fry collection from the Meghna river in different upazilas of Lakshmipur. But, in the process of collecting fry, the hunters kill around 70-80 fries of other fish species. PHOTO: TBS

Harvesting of shrimp fries in the River Meghna in the coastal areas of Lakshmipur goes on unabated in violation of government instructions, causing enormous damage to marine resources as well as the aquatic biodiversity of the area.

More than 50,000 people are reportedly involved in shrimp fry collection from the river in different upazilas of the district and earn around Tk300 crore annually, people concerned have said. But, in the process of collecting one shrimp fry, the shrimp fry hunters kill around 70-80 fries of other species of fish, they added.

Although there is no official data, fish traders, scientists, and fisheries officials estimate that the yearly ecological cost of these activities, however, would surpass Tk6,000 crore if only the damage caused to a single fish species, poa, is taken into account.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

According to the Department of Fisheries, the government on 21 September 2000 issued a notification banning the collection of shrimp fries, and eggs from the coastal areas to protect the biodiversity of the rivers.

But, the local administration seems to be oblivious to implementing the government instructions, as local people have alleged that the administration seldom takes any action against those who are flouting the government prohibition.

Experts, however, say it is possible to earn thousands of crores of taka by collecting shrimp eggs in a natural way if the authorities concerned take proper steps by training people and raising public awareness.

The eggs and fries collected from the River Padma can breed high-quality bagda shrimps, they said.

PHOTO: TBS
PHOTO: TBS

Damage to other fishes

Thousands of people of all ages from different upazilas of Lakshmipur catch shrimp fries and eggs from the River Meghna from March to July.

According to locals, shrimp fry hunting covers a stretch of about 45km from Raipur upazila to Tanki Bazar in Ramgati.

Zainul, a young shrimp fry collector, said, "The low tide comes twice a day for at least four hours in between two high tides. That's when the fries are caught. This season, I have caught shrimp fries every day before going to school and earned around Tk30,000 a month."

Shrimp hunters use mosquito nets and push nets to catch the fries and eggs.  Eggs and pollen of many other species of fish also get caught in the nets, however, people only keep shrimps and dispose of other varieties on the shore.

One Shahjahan from the Balur Char area of Ramgati upazila said, "The hunters come ashore at least five to six times per hour.

Each time, they catch 20-25 fries of bagda (tiger) shrimps. Around 800 fries of other species also get caught in their nets which they destroy. This is one of the reasons behind the decline in the number of fishes in the river."

Anisuzzaman, associate professor at the Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Noakhali University of Science and Technology, said, "A hunter picks his net at least 10 times per hour. If s/he catches at least 100 poa fries in one go, then in four hours of a day s/he destroys around 4,000 fishes. Thus, around 1.60 crore fishes of only a single species are destroyed by around 50,000 hunters per day."

Photo: TBS
Photo: TBS

"If the price of a fish fry is Tk1, then in 70 days of the season fries of one species worth about Tk6,000 crore are destroyed," he added.

He further said that about 70-80 fries of other species are destroyed for one bagda fry.

Some people take the fries of other fish from the shrimp hunters and cultivate them in the ponds.

Jaher and Sohag Gazi from the Char Bhuta area in Sadar upazila said, "Last year, we collected fries of different species of fish from them which they generally destroy. We have raised them in our pond. Now the pond is full of hundreds of fishes including koral, poa, chewa, laitta, vetki, pangash, rita, pabda etc."

"Since the law does not stop the hunting of shrimp eggs and fries, it is time to think about how to protect the biodiversity of the river," said Anisuzzaman.

Violation of govt instructions

Naim Hossain, a teenager from the Char Kalkini area of Kamalnagar upazila, regularly catches shrimp fries from the River Meghna. He said, "I heard that it is forbidden to catch shrimp fries, but I do not know why? I sell the fries to farmers. They cultivate them in their ponds and export them, bringing in dollars for the country. So why is it illegal?"

Other shrimp fry catchers from different areas of the district also echoed Naim.

PHOTO: TBS
PHOTO: TBS

Zainab, a woman from the Burirghat area of ​​Lakshmipur Sadar upazila, said, "I have never seen any people from the administration preventing people from catching shrimp fries in the river. But, they sometimes conduct operations to stop vehicles on the road and seize drums filled with shrimp fries on their way to be taken to other parts of the country."

Lakhsmipur District Fisheries Officer Aminul Islam said, "We conduct more campaigns against traders because if they stop buying fries people will not catch them from rivers," he noted.

Experts have said the large-scale hunting of shrimp fries can only be controlled if the government conducts awareness activities as it has taken in case of protecting hilsa.

Bangladesh / Top News

Meghna / Meghna River / Meghna river pollution / Biodiversity / Shrimp fry / Lakshmipur

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner showing part of its registration "VT-ANB" in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave
    All 242 people die in Air India plane crash
  • CA Yunus meets King Charles
    CA Yunus meets King Charles
  • File Photo of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus: UNB
    Air India flight crash: CA Yunus writes to Modi, offers Bangladesh's full support

MOST VIEWED

  • File photo of ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy. Photo: Collected
    Joy spends Eid with Hasina in India: Indian media
  • Infofgraphics: TBS
    DGHS issues 11-point directive to prevent spread of Covid-19 in Bangladesh
  • Saifuzzaman Chowdhury. Photo: Collected
    UK crime agency now freezes assets of ex-land minister Saifuzzaman: AJ
  • File photo of BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury. Photo: Collected
    Khasru flies to London ahead of Yunus-Tarique meeting
  • Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus speaks at the Chatham House in London on 11 June 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    No desire to be part of next elected govt: CA Yunus
  • Illustration: Khandaker Abidur Rahman/TBS
    Three hospitals ‘held hostage’ as discharged July uprising injured keep occupying beds

Related News

  • Bodies of 2 women recovered 13 hours after autorickshaw plunges off ferry into Meghna
  • 60 travellers rescued by Coast Guard from drifting trawler in Meghna river
  • Trawler capsize: Most passengers rescued but 3 dead, child still missing
  • Trawler capsizes in Meghna River in Noakhali: 1 dead; 6 still missing, including cop
  • Dozens of livestock carcasses float in Meghna River in Lakshmipur after tidal surge

Features

Among pet birds in the country, lovebirds are the most common, and they are also the most numerous in the haat. Photo: Junayet Rashel

Where feathers meet fortune: How a small pigeon stall became Dhaka’s premiere bird market

1d | Panorama
Illustration: Duniya Jahan/ TBS

Forget Katy Perry, here’s Bangladesh’s Ruthba Yasmin shooting for the moon

1d | Features
File photo of Eid holidaymakers returning to the capital from their country homes/Rajib Dhar

Dhaka: The city we never want to return to, but always do

3d | Features
Photo collage shows political posters in Bagerhat. Photos: Jannatul Naym Pieal

From Sheikh Dynasty to sibling rivalry: Bagerhat signals a turning tide in local politics

5d | Bangladesh

More Videos from TBS

Curfew imposed for second night in Los Angeles

Curfew imposed for second night in Los Angeles

36m | TBS World
When will coronavirus testing start in hospitals?

When will coronavirus testing start in hospitals?

1h | TBS Today
Saifuzzaman Chowdhury's property seized in UK

Saifuzzaman Chowdhury's property seized in UK

2h | TBS Today
A tragic accident has occurred in Ahmedabad, India, involving an Air India Boeing 787

A tragic accident has occurred in Ahmedabad, India, involving an Air India Boeing 787

2h | TBS World
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net