SINGRA, Natore — A fish farmer in Singra upazila of Natore has alleged that about 35 lakh taka (3.5 million) worth of fish were killed after his pond was poisoned. The incident occurred sometime late Friday, Dec. 19, in a 12-bigha pond in Goalbaria village of Chowgram union, the farmer said.
The victim was devastated by the incident, which came just before the fish were ready to be sold. The poisoning came to light when dead fish were seen floating in the pond on Saturday morning, Dec. 20.
Speaking to local residents, it was learned that fish farmer Siddique Pramanik of Parera village had leased the pond, located near the Goalbaria village mosque and graveyard, from villagers and started fish farming. For the past six months he had been raising various fish species, including pabda, tangra, rui and mrigel.
Siddique Pramanik, the affected fish farmer, said he had stocked the pond with a large number of fish, including 1.5 lakh pabda (150,000), 2 lakh tangra (200,000), 2,000 rui, 1,000 mrigel, 220 bighead and 380 silver carp. He said he had spent about 30 lakh taka (3 million) on fingerlings, feed and care. He had hoped to sell 35 lakh taka worth of fish. But on the night of Friday, Dec. 19, unknown people poisoned the pond with gas tablets out of enmity, killing all the fish, he said.
Siddique Pramanik lamented: “Out of enmity, they destroyed everything I had. I am ruined. I want a fair trial from the administration.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report