Actual fishermen suffer

Sources say the 10,683 registered fishermen in Teknaf have suffered because of the fishing ban.

The real fishermen do not have the means to "work the system" and fish in the river during the ban, said Imam Hossain, a fisherman in Teknaf. "Our livelihood depended on fishing on the Naf river but we are not allowed to do it."

Many fishermen took loans to buy boats and fishing nets spending Tk 8-10 lakh. Since the ban was imposed, the fishermen only received 30 kilograms of rice as the government aid but this is far from being adequate, he said.

Abdus Salam, president of Teknaf Upazila Unit Bangladesh Khudro Matsyajibi Samity, said at least 8,000 of the registered fishermen left their profession and became labourers and rickshaw pullers.

"The ban should be lifted soon," he added.

Asked about lifting the ban, fisheries officer Delwar Hossen said, "We are ready to lift the ban but the law enforcers, especially the BGB must give the green signal for that. BGB stills want the ban to be imposed to curb yaba smuggling."

However, Lt Col Sheikh Khalid Mohammad Iftekhar, CO of BGB-2, said it depends on the government's decision. "We are not responsible for continuing the ban," he added.