As there is a huge demand of bamboo-made fishing traps (locally known as Bitti) during the monsoon season, more than 200 families are now busy making Bitti at Shoilmari village under Jubannagar Upazila of Chuada.
Many people of the village in Sadar Upazila of Chuadanga district earn their livelihood by making and selling bamboo-made fishing traps since long.
At present, the sale of Bitti has increased a lot in different villages and local markets of the district. The men, women and children of Shoilmari village are doing the work of making Bitti with skilful hands.
The fishing traps of about Tk 2 lakh are sold every week in Chuadanga district. The Bitti makers are expecting to sell Bitti worth about Tk 30 lakh in the current monsoon season. Bitti business is profitable even though it involves a lot of hard work. Local species of fish are caught with such fishing trap. Chuadanga Sadar Upazila Parishad is providing all kinds of support to them. Many families of Shoilmari village have become financially self-reliant by making Bitti. They do cottage industry work, including making of Bitti, for half of the year. These fishing traps are suitcase shaped, made of thin bamboo sticks with two or three entrances on one side and another entrance on the other side for trapping the fish. The main materials used to make the fishing trap are bamboo, palm tree yarn and nylon yarn. People of every house at the village work from dawn till night for making Bitti.
Canals, rivers, ponds and fields are full of water during monsoons. During this time, fishermen and local people catch various species of local fish, including puti, shrimp, taki and jhaya. Each Bitti is sold in the market at the rate of Tk 250 to Tk 300. As the Bitti made here is good enough, there is a demand for it in various districts, including Meherpur, Jashore and Khulna. Majedur Rahman, who came to a buy the fishing trap from Jashore district, said the Bitti of Shoilmari village is very good. Prices remain normal. He bought 20 Bittis from here to catch fishes from the field next to the house.
Asim, a Bitti maker, said, “I am going through a very busy time now. The demand for Bitti has increased a lot during Shraban month. A bamboo can be bought from Tk 200 to Tk 250. Bittis worth Tk 1.5 to Tk 2 lakh are sold every week in the district. About 250 families are involved in this work.”
Bitti maker Maina Khatun said, “Along with men, we also do the work of making Bitti. It brings financial stability in the family. We can make 3-4 Bittis in a week. All the work of making Bitti should be done with the utmost care.”
Abdus Salam of Begumpur village of Chuadanga Sadar Upazila said, “I bought two Bittis for fishing with Tk 600. Small fishes are caught with the fishing trap.”
Chairman of Begumpur Union Parishad in Chuadanga Sadar Upazila Md Ali Hossain Joarddar said, “Various types of assistance are given to the Bitti makers on behalf of the upazila administration and the union council. Most of the people of Shoilmari village have become prosperous by making Bitti.”
Chairman of Chuadanga Sadar Upazila Parishad Naeem Hasan Joardar said all kinds of cooperation are being given to Bitti makers from their side to keep this industry alive.
