Dhaka – Decreased dissolved oxygen and increased acidity in water due to decomposition of immature paddy grain, shrubs and other organic materials caused the fish mortality in the haors (depressions) in Sylhet region on Northeast Bangladesh. There are no sign of heavy metal intoxication or disease infection in their collected samples of water, soil, fish and duck carcasses.
Experts said this at a seminar “Investigation and Assessment of Fish Mortality in Haor” in Fisheries Faculty Conference Room of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh on Thursday. They termed the hazard a national calamity. Never before early flash floods were seen to have caused fish deaths in the haors.
These flash flood-prone areas of Bangladesh have experienced an unprecedented death of fishes and ducks in the natural breeding and feeding grounds of indigenous fishes and water fowls following flash floods caused by heavy rainfall in the plains in Bangladesh and the hills in Northeast India little over a week ago.
Experts and scientists also urged the government and other donor and financial organizations to support the Haor people by providing food, promoting income generating activities, loan with low-interest to improve the condition.
They suggested that promotion of low-price fish in Haor areas from other part of country should be managed by the Department of Fisheries (DoF) to decrease the pressure on fisheries resources in Haor water bodies.
An expert team, led by Prof Dr Mohammad Mahfuzul Haque of aquaculture department of BAU, has published their findings and recommendation in the seminar. The team has visited Tanguar haor, Halir haor and Dekhar haor from 24th April to 26th April.
They also urged the government and development organizations to take necessary steps that the situation would not become worse while the decomposition will be enhanced by the sun in the years ahead.
The present situation in Haor areas is a national crisis, said dean of fisheries faculty Prof Dr Subas Chandra Charkrabarti. Everyone and every organization related to Haor should work together to overcome the hazard and make happy Haor again, he added. – BAU Correspondent
In Dhaka The ministry of Disaster Management and Relief informed that Boro paddy crops on 219,840 hectares of land have been fully damaged by flood in six districts of the country since March 29 last, affecting 850,088 families.
The flood caused by heavy rainfall and onrush from the upstream also damaged 18,205 houses either fully or partially in 62 upazilas of Sunamganj, Sylhet, Netrakona, Kishoreganj, Habiganj and Moulvibazar districts, said a Disaster Management and Relief Ministry press release on Thursday night. – GW News Desk
