Six-km canal grabbed for fish farming

Some local influential people are cultivating fish by occupying six-km-long Karomjatali canal in Kalapara upazila.

After dividing the canal into 20 parts, grabbers cultivate fish round the year, said locals.

Due to this, local agricultural activities are being hampered greatly as natural water flow was totally stopped in the canal, said Abdul Latif Gazi, chairman of Dhankhali Union Parishad.

The canal plays a key role in agricultural activities of people in about 10 villages in the upazila.

Several thousand farmers used its water in their agricultural activities, but a gang divided the canal into 20 pond-size parts and started fish cultivation in the canal by setting up nets there in the last one year, alleged locals.

Prince Hawlader, Asman Gharami, Sohag Gharami, Reaz Akand and Mohiuddin Sikder allegedly led the gang.

During a recent visit, a group of reporters found that the gang used heavy nets to make partition to protect fish, hampering natural flow of water in the canal.

If anybody raised voices against the misdeed, the gang harassed them in many ways, said the villagers. 

Accused Prince and Asman said they along with some jobless youths are cultivating fish in the canal to create income source.

They declined to make further comments over the issue.

Md Khandakar Robiul Islam, assistant commissioner (land), said he has asked the local union land officer to remove all nets from the canal.

He will visit the area soon and if they don't remove nets willingly, his office will take proper steps considering local farmers' interests, said the commissioner.