Aliullah Imran, Barguna

Barguna district consists of six coastal upazilas bordering Bay of Bengal. Although the district has potential for tourism, the district of Ilisha is known as Barguna.

Three major rivers Payra, Bishkhali and Baleshwar flow through this district. Hilsa fish of this river is very tasty to look and eat. Patharghata Upazila is located on the west side of the district headquarters and on the east side of the Sundarbans.

Between these two ends lies Baleshwar river. Baleshwar’s hilsa fish is the most beautiful and delicious to eat from all river hilsa fish and the price is also relatively wide. The hilsa of this river is transferred from the hands of fishermen of Artdar and from Artdar to the country’s second largest Patharghata Fish Landing Center (BFDC) through wholesalers and reaches different parts of the country.

It has been found out in different ways that the hilsa fish of Baleswar river is better than the hilsa fish of different rivers including Bay of Bengal, Payra, Bishkhali. Which is exported to different parts of the country including Barisal, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Khulna, Jessore through Barguna.

Talking to the fishermen, they said that our fish is as good to look at as it is very tasty. So our fish is not expensive in comparison. However, due to the relocation of many places, the total cost of care may be a little higher. However, our Baleshwar river starts from the mouth of the ocean. The river is also quite big. And hilsa from this river is exported to different districts and upazilas of the country.

Local Badal Dafadar, Hanifa and Mosharraf said, currently we are getting fresh hilsa from fishermen for 200 grams of hilsa 500 taka, 500 grams of hilsa 1050 taka, 800 grams of hilsa 1400 taka, 1 kg of hilsa 1600 taka, 1 kg of 400 grams of hilsa I sell it to a local dealer at the rate of 1800 taka.

While talking to many wholesalers including Shahid Molla, Md Abbas, Md Nazrul Islam, hilsa exporters from Patharghata Fish Landing Center (BFDC), they said that 200 grams of hilsa is 23,000 taka, 500 grams of hilsa is 46-47. Thousand taka, 800 grams of hilsa 62 thousand taka for 1 man, 1 kg 400 grams of hilsa 80 thousand taka for 1 man (BFDC) through open buying and selling, we export to different parts of the country by adding trucks.

Patharghata Fish Landing Center BFDC Officer Lt. Commander GM Masud Sikder said, here, various types of hilsa from different places including fresh water hilsa are bought and sold through open rates. The wholesaler who offers the highest price is designated as the buyer of the fish. Accordingly, every day the wholesalers buy fish and export it to different parts of the country.

Barguna District Fisheries Officer Md. Mohsin said that the water in the river is much sweeter than the sea. Because of this, compared to other rivers, the hilsa fish is very tasty because the fishes move or live in fresh water for a long time in Baleshwar river. That’s why the price of hilsa fish from Baleswar river is relatively high as there is a high demand.