Fishing by fishermen in the sea of Bangladesh is a wonder. Seeing them fishing seems like a depiction of a story heard from history.
I was in the Nidra area of the seashore of Taltoli upazila of Barguna district. Every day, the fishermen here go fishing in the sea, calculating the tides. They sometimes fish alone or in groups during the day or at night.
Fishing in the sea is hazardous. Yet fisherman catches fish for their livelihood. Most of the fishermen who fish in the sea live in coastal areas. Due to their poor financial condition, they live in houses made of tin, wood or straw. Cyclones occur in the Bay of Bengal almost every year. Moreover, they are all affected by various storms, clouds, and excessive tides. Many of the fishermen still live outside the embankment. Due to this, the damage would be more significant if any natural disaster occurred.
The livelihood of fishermen in coastal areas changes greatly depending on the season. During the rainy season, they fish in the sea with storm clouds on their heads. At this time, they get more fish. However, during the monsoon, many houses in the coastal areas are flooded due to rising water levels. So sometimes they have to look for a place to rest elsewhere during this time.
In winter, the picture here is the opposite. As the water level decreases, some fishermen build temporary houses on the seashore. They dry fish there. Fish traders come from different districts for this purpose. They often develop or buy trawlers and let the fishermen catch fish in the sea. Then, they build houses on the seashore and dry the fish in the sun in front. Many fishermen make a profit by selling dried fish in the market. In addition, fishermen also catch fish individually. They see fresh fish and sell them in the local market. And those who go to the sea with big trawlers catch fish in groups and sell them in the market to earn money.
