Fish enclosures encroaching on government canals in Kotalipara, homes under threat: Victims do not get redress despite complaining to government offices

There have been allegations of encroaching on the mouths of two government canals by building dams between Purnavati and Kurpala villages in Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj and constructing fish enclosures on the surrounding vast land. Against Khalil Dariya, president of the Upazila Fishermen's Cooperative Society. As a result of the closure of the two canals, more than half of the families in the area have suffered as water cannot flow out during the monsoon season. Water rises in many houses whenever it rains. Boating on the canal has been stopped.  Farmers are afraid of being deprived of irrigation facilities during...

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There have been allegations of encroaching on the mouths of two government canals by building dams between Purnavati and Kurpala villages in Kotalipara upazila of Gopalganj and constructing fish enclosures on the surrounding vast land. Against Khalil Dariya, president of the Upazila Fishermen’s Cooperative Society. As a result of the closure of the two canals, more than half of the families in the area have suffered as water cannot flow out during the monsoon season. Water rises in many houses whenever it rains. Boating on the canal has been stopped.  Farmers are afraid of being deprived of irrigation facilities during the upcoming Boro season.

Talking to local residents, it was learned that a huge fish enclosure has been built by damming the mouths of two government canals in the middle of Purnavati-Kurpala village. Locals complain that the normal flow of water has been obstructed since the damming of the mouths of the two canals last June.

Farmer Akbar Sikder lives in a house on three and a half bighas of land inside this enclosure. The water of the fish enclosure is now flowing around his house. The soil around the house is breaking due to the waves of water. He is living an inhuman life with his wife and children, fearing that the house will collapse and disappear into the water of the enclosure at any time. Rozina Begum, the wife of the victim Akbar Sikder, said in a tearful voice that our house and trees are being destroyed due to the fish enclosure.  Despite repeated requests to the owners of the fish enclosure, my husband, helpless as they did not take any measures to protect our house, has filed an application with the Kotalipara and Gopalganj offices. But they also did not take any action. Now where will we go with our children?

Akbar Sikder’s complaint is that he has repeatedly requested the fish enclosure managers to take security measures to prevent erosion around the house. But no action has been taken. Later, he appealed to the Upazila Executive Officer, Upazila Assistant Commissioner Land, Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer and the District Commissioner for redress, but he did not get any effective remedy and is suffering from extreme disappointment.

Akbar Sikder said, “There is water and water all around. Due to the waves, the soil of the house is constantly breaking and trees are falling. If this continues, I do not understand where I will go with my wife and children.”

The Purnavati and Kurpala canals are an important means of livelihood for local small fishermen.  Locals complain that they used to fish from this canal at different times of the year. But after the canal was encroached upon and a fish enclosure was built, they are not able to fish in the canal as before.

Fishermen Kazi Hachan and Makit Sheikh said, “We do not have an enclosure. We fish from the canals and the bilges. They claim that the closure of the two government canals has created a crisis in the collection of cow fodder. They say that if the two canals remain closed year after year, where will we fish? The enclosures have been built, the fish are being caught—but no one is thinking about us who depend on the canal.” Local residents say that not only fishermen but also farmers are being affected by the dam at the mouth of the canal. In addition to obstructing water drainage during the monsoon, there is concern about using the canal water for irrigation during the Boro season.

Regarding the complaint, Khalil Daria, the manager of the fish farm, said, “The people of the area have all gathered together to build a fish enclosure and have given me the responsibility of managing the enclosure.”

Regarding the canal, he said, there are two canals inside the enclosure and the water has been blocked by dams in both canals.

He said, “It is not right to build a dam in the canal like this. However, the people of the area have all gathered together to build a dam, so I have nothing to do.”

Khalil Daria also said that it is not only this enclosure that is being occupied by fish farming; many other canals in Kotalipara have been occupied by building fish enclosures.

Kotalipara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Saif-ul-Arefin said that he has recently joined Kotalipara Upazila. He will look into the issue of building a fish enclosure by occupying canals.

He said, “No one has the right to take possession of government canals or water bodies. If any such matter is proven, legal action will be taken. If anyone has been harmed due to the fish enclosure, please contact me and the matter will be investigated. Also, there have been reports of fish farming by blocking government canals with nets and soil in different parts of the upazila.

The locals’ question is whether any individual or group can stop the natural flow of water in a canal for the sake of their own fish farming. And if the canal is a government water body or a waterway for public use, then it is important to investigate how it was occupied or controlled for a long time.