Once 39 species of fish were found in the Sangu River in Bandarban; however, most varieties are now close to extinction.
During the dry season, pesticide is used which locals believe is the main cause of the loss of species.
Bandarban fisheries office says that once Darkina, Chitol, Tilapia, Chela, Chebli, Pabda, Baim, Fanda and many others were found, which have now disappeared.
Fisheries official says that fish could have been saved with a fisheries office in Thanchi.
Since Thanchi is remote we don’t have people to safeguard the species, he said.
It’s believed that poisonous extract from the local Mail tree mixes with the river water, resulting in the deaths of aquatic life.
In addition, pesticide is being used to kill or catch the fish.
Fisheries office sources also say that in the last few years only, Ruhi, Katla, Mrigel and Baush fish fries were released.
In 2016-17, 366 kg of fish fries worth Tk. 1 lakh 25 thousand were released in Sangu River.
Local fishermen lament the dearth of fish which is adversely impacting their livelihood.
President of Bandarban district Fisheries Association, Dilip Jaldas, says: “currently, there are 108 members in the association; the allowance we got three years ago has stopped.”
We hardly get 1 to 2 kg fish a day, he deplored.
Senior fisheries officer of Bandarban, Md Ziauddin, says: “only a few kinds of fish are being released which is leading to other varieties dying out.”
To save the fish facing extinction, the depth of the river has to be increased, he suggested.
Regarding the stoppage of fishermen’s allowance, the fisheries official said: “in other areas like Chadpur, Patuakhali, Noakhali and Rangamati, fishermen get rice.”
Allowance has stopped since in Bandarban, the river is small, and has lower number of fishermen compared to other areas, he observed.