Fish from nearly one and a half thousand ponds in five upazilas of Netrakona were swept away due to continuous rainfall and the onrush of upstream water.
According to preliminary estimates of the Mymensingh Divisional Fisheries Office, the damage amounts to Tk 8 crores and 24 lakhs.
However, the fish farmers in the district claimed that the extent of the damage is greater than the preliminary estimates provided by the Department of Fisheries.
Kolmakanda, Durgapur, and Sadar upazila faced the most losses due to the flood. Fish from 963 ponds in Sadar upazila and 322 ponds in Kolmakanda were swept away. As a result, many have lost their investments and have been left destitute.
Sources from district Department of Fisheries said the total area of open and closed water bodies in the district is 84,165 hectares. Approximately 110,000 tonnes of fish are produced in these water bodies. Among them, 40 percent of the fish is produced in 89 haors (wetlands), 15 percent of them are produced in canals, beels and rivers, while the remaining 45 percent is cultivated in ponds. There are 60,102 ponds in the district, and the number of fish farmers is 48,238.
Fish farmers said that at least 1,480 ponds and farms with a total area of 312 hectares in the affected upazilas have lost 723 tonnes of fish and fish fries. As a result, 896 farmers have been directly affected. The loss is more than what is reported by the government, they said.
Jalal Uddin, a fish farmer from Barhatta upazila, stated that there was no opportunity to make any preparations. The flash flood swept away all the fish.
Anwar Hossain from Amtail village in Kolmakanda said his losses amount to around Tk 25 lakhs.
Deputy Director of Mymensingh Divisional Fisheries Office, Md Nazrul Islam, said there has been significant damage to fishery resources due to the sudden flooding. The extent of the damage has been assessed based on preliminary information.
