Fishermen are dependent on money lenders all year round to make ends meet. A majority of the profit goes into paying the interests that keep piling up. In order to escape the vicious debt-cycle fishermen are now preparing to go to sea despite the risks it entails.
The fishermen will start their five-month journey into the sea after the government ban is lifted on Oct 22. Those around areas affected by river erosion are embarking on the journey, knowing the risk of losing their families and land when the river bank floods.
Fishermen across several areas in Khulna are already preparing for the journey. While some are building new boats, some are fixing the old ones as well as preparing the fishing nets.
At sea, they will stay near the char areas around the Sundarbans where they will catch the fish and dry them on the islands.
Tapan Mandal, a fisherman from Hitampur’s Khoaghat in Khulna said that it takes 40 days and a minimum of Tk 500,000 to build a fishing boat for the sea.
He said that they are taking all the necessary preparations including repairs and fixing people to assist them.
Manishankar Biswas, another fisherman said that they take around 10 people in each boat during the journey at sea.
“The fishermen need a lot of money to provide for their families and to make the boats. They don’t even get help from the government,” he said.
He added that they are compelled to borrow from money lenders not only before going to sea but all year round.
“There’s a lot of risk at sea but there isn’t any alternative if we want to pay off the money lenders,” said Dinbondhu Biswas, a fisherman.
He added that it’s a cycle they can’t escape as the catch at sea will pay-off the loans but they’ll have to borrow once again.
Biswas said that they have to live with the reality that they will be at sea while their land will be at the risk of river erosion.
Panchanan Biswas from Katakhali fishermen village said that it costs around Tk 1 million including food and wages per fishing trawler going to see.
Since the banks don’t give loans, they have to borrow the money at high interests and use the profits to pay it off and sell the dry fish to the lenders at lower prices, he said and added that the fishermen could profit more if the banks would give short-term loans.