Natural fish breeding ground egg collectors celebrated the egg collection festival by selling renu of Halda River on Tuesday.
This time 300 kg renu were obtained from eggs.
Organised by the office of the Raozan Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer, the festival was celebrated at the Halda Bridge Mayabi Halda Resort on the river on Tuesday.
The programme was presided by Raozan Upazila Executive Officer Jisan Bin Majed and moderated by Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Alamgir Hossain. The chief guest was Bishwajit Bairagi, Director (Additional Duty) of the Chattogram division, Cumilla Fisheries department.
The special guests were Dr Md Manjurul Kibria, a professor of the Department of Biology at Chattogram University and a researcher on Halda, District Fisheries Officer Shrivas Chandra Chanda, Halda Project Director Muhammad Mizanur Rahman, Chattogram City Corporation Executive Magistrate Raktim Chowdhury, journalist Mohammad Ali, former municipal councilor Ashek Rasul Rokon, and others. Bishwajit Bairagi said that this year, compared to last year, the mother fish have released seven times more eggs in the Halda River.
This has been possible with the joint efforts of everyone. If the egg collectors and fishermen on the Halda banks play their right roles, the mother fish will release more eggs in the future.
Halda researcher Dr. Md. Manjurul Kibria said that for a long time, we have been working to protect Halda with responsibility due to the urge of conscience. We have been successful with the joint efforts and cooperation of everyone. Those who have worked tirelessly and played a role in creating a mother fish sanctuary in Halda will be honored.
District Fisheries Officer Shrivas Chandra Chanda said, it is a matter of pride for us to collect 14,000 kg of eggs. We must maintain this continuity.
Halda Project Director Muhammad Mizanur Rahman said, it cannot be that we collect eggs every year and sell them for 1.5 lakh taka. We must take ownership of the Halda River. We must protect Halda.
Journalist Mohammad Ali said, I have been working with Halda for 28 years. I have had to go through many ups and downs while working. Many people have been attacked. After overcoming all the crises, I have been able to create a sanctuary in Halda for the last two to three years. I have been restored by collecting eggs as expected this year.
Earlier, the egg collection festival was inaugurated by cutting a cake on the Halda bank. At the beginning of the program on the stage, a song about the Halda River written by former Commissioner Ashek Rasul Rokon and a song written by Raozan Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Alamgir Hossain were performed. Later, renowned artists from Chattogram performed songs in a cultural program. During this time, egg collectors danced and sang to the tunes of the songs and celebrated the festival.
