Rajshahi, Aug 24 (V7N) – Durgapur Upazila has secured the top position in fresh fish sales within Rajshahi district, regularly supplying over one crore taka worth of fresh fish daily to Dhaka and various other districts across Bangladesh. This success benefits both the local fish farmers and consumers who enjoy access to formalin-free, fresh fish in the market.
 
The thriving fish farming industry in Durgapur has a history spanning more than two decades. Fresh fish from this area are sent daily to nearly 25 to 30 districts including Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Barishal, and Mymensingh. This steady supply has not only increased demand for fresh fish outside Rajshahi but has also encouraged fish farmers to expand their production.
 
Selim Reza, a fish farmer from Hat Kanpara village in Durgapur, said, “I have been involved in fish farming for almost 30 years. We were the first in Rajshahi to supply fresh fish outside the division. Earlier, people outside Rajshahi mostly relied on river fish. We pioneered fresh fish sales from Durgapur to other districts.”
 
Sources reveal that every day between evening and late night, approximately 45 to 50 trucks carrying fresh fish leave Durgapur for various parts of the country. Each truck carries between 700 to 800 kilograms of fish. Currently, over 20,000 people in the Upazila are involved in fish farming.
 
According to local fish market dealers, fresh fish is now also sourced from wholesale markets besides pond harvests. Abul Hossain, a fish trader, shared, “We buy fresh fish from wholesale markets and keep them in tanks or houses before sending them by truck to various districts. This process doubles our profit.”
 
Official data from the Upazila Fisheries Office indicates there are 389 government-owned ponds covering 164 hectares, producing 856 metric tons of fish annually. Private ponds number 5,911, covering 3,826 hectares and producing 19,832 metric tons of fish annually. The total annual fish demand in Durgapur is 4,330 metric tons, while total production reaches 20,349 metric tons. This means that approximately 16,019 metric tons of fish are exported outside the Upazila each year.
 
Md. Tanzimul Islam, Upazila Fisheries Officer, said, “Many unemployed youths have become self-reliant through fish farming in Durgapur. We are encouraging fish farmers through various initiatives. Fish production has doubled in recent years, leading to surplus supply. This surplus is being transported to other districts by truck, generating substantial income for the local economy.”
 
END/MRA/SMA/