After a 58-day government-imposed ban, fishing in the Bay of Bengal has resumed, bringing life back to the KB Market in Bagerhat—one of the largest marine fish trading hubs in southern Bangladesh. However, fishermen and traders expressed disappointment over the initially low catch from the sea.
On the morning of Friday, June 13, the KB Market—located along the banks of the Daratana River near the town’s protective embankment—was buzzing with activity. Fishermen unloaded baskets of fish from trawlers, wholesalers called out prices, and buyers scrambled to make purchases.
According to traders, now that the ban is over, fishing trawlers are back in the Bay. The KB Market sees daily transactions worth millions of taka, with hilsa (ilish) being the top-selling fish. Other species available include kauwa, chela, dhela chela, loitta, bhol, konkon, koi bhol, jaba bhol, mochon gagra, meid, tengra, rupchanda, and botol—over 50 varieties in total. Large hilsa weighing several kilograms were seen on sale.
Today’s hilsa prices were:
- 200–300g: Tk 600–800 per kg
- 500–800g: Tk 1,200–1,500 per kg
- 900g–1kg: Tk 2,000–2,500 per kg
Rupchanda sold for Tk 500–1,200 per kg depending on size, while other species ranged from Tk 100 to Tk 1,000 per kg. In addition to fresh catches, frozen imported fish are also sold at the market.
Kobir Hossain, a local buyer, said, “After a long closure, the market is now offering a variety of fresh fish. I personally prefer sea fish and avoid the farmed ones. That’s why I came today to buy quality seafood.”
Masum Sheikh, a fish seller, added, “The market doesn’t thrive without sea fish. During the ban, we couldn’t sell high-quality fish, and customers weren’t interested in farmed varieties either. We want to offer the best to our buyers.”
Ebadul Islam, a fisherman who returned from the sea, shared his frustration: “Even after the ban, the sea didn’t yield much. I might not even recover the expenses of the trip.”
Anup Kumar Biswas, General Secretary of the KB Market Traders’ Association, stated, “This is the first day a trawler has returned since the ban. The supply is still low, and prices are a bit high. But once more trawlers arrive, prices should come down.”
Dr. Md. Abul Kalam Azad, Bagerhat District Fisheries Officer, explained that the ban helps protect the spawning season of over 475 marine species, including shrimp. “The ban ensures that fish can reproduce without interference. It’s like the one enforced in the Sundarbans, where no harmful fishing practices are allowed. This 58-day break has allowed natural regeneration in the sea, which should lead to a higher yield in the coming months.”
For reference, the government typically imposes a 65-day fishing ban from April 20 to July 20 every year to support fish breeding and stock enhancement. This year, however, the schedule was adjusted to align with India’s, resulting in a ban from April 15 to June 11. During this time, catching any type of marine fish and deep-sea trawling was strictly prohibited.
Now that the ban is lifted, fishing activities have resumed and trawlers are once again arriving at the KB Market, signaling a hopeful return to normalcy for the local fishing industry.
