SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FISHERS COMMUNITIES INBHOLA AND CHANDPUR DISTRICTS IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

Fisheries sector of Bangladesh plays a major role in nutrition, employment, foreign exchange earnings, and other aspects of the economy. In spite of playing a significant role in the nation’s nutrition and economy fishers are the most vulnerable communities and considered as ‘the poorest of the poor’. Besides, lack of knowledge on current socio-economic conditions of fishers leads to poor planning and implementation of various fisheries management programs. Therefore, the present study was conducted to gather information on socio-economic status of fishers of Chandpur and Bhola district for a period of six months from July 2015 to December 2015. Data were collected from three fishing communities such as Haimchar, Daulatkhan and Char Fasson. A total of 120 individual interviews were carried out using a pre-coded questionnaire. Findings of the present study showed that around 53.3% fishers and 81.7% female members of fisher’s family belong to the age group below 30 years. Nearly half of the fishers (48.3%) were found illiterate. It was observed that almost 45.8% fisherman and 56.7% female household members completed their primary education. All the respondent fishers were Muslim in the current study. About 31.7% fishers worked every day and rest are not worked all the day in a month. The reasons for not working all days in a month were not getting fish always, sickness, bad weather, could not find other work and paying visit to friends and relatives. One-third (33.3%) fishers reported they have secondary occupations like day labor, rickshaw or van pulling, farming and business. Monthly income of , 58.3% fishers was between Tk 5,001 to Tk 10,000 while 25% reported below Tk 5,000. It was found that the family members of fishers suffered mostly from fever, runny nose and Diarrhoea. Furthermore, study revealed that Childs were more susceptible to diseases as approximately 95% child had been suffering from diseases since last 15 days during the data collection period. On average about 85% respondent fishers stated that they took treatment from different health service providers. Half of them reported they receive treatment from local pharmacy where village doctor or para-medical doctor offered their medical services. Only 18.3% fishers revealed that they go Government Health Care Centre. Most of the fishers (44.2%) were found live in Govt. property followed 38.3% fishers live in their own house, 14.2% fishers live in other’s property and only 3.3% fishers live as tenants. At least 95% fisher’s house wall and roof was built by Tin whereas around 94.2% floor was earthen. A major portion of fishers’ household use wood, straw, grass, leaf, agricultural waste and animal dung as cooking fuel. The study recorded 60% and 55.8% fishers possessed fishing gear/net and boat, respectively. Besides, almost 55% fishers enjoy electricity and 82.5% have mobile phone. One-third of fishers said they received Government support during fishing ban period however 28.3% fishers mentioned they got Government support regularly during ban period. Most of the fishers cited they do nothing during ban period but some fishers performed various works like as day labor, agricultural work, rickshaw or van pulling and fish drying. It was found that 90% fishers took loan for fishing purpose from Mahajan, NGOs and Majhi. Among them majority of fishers (89.2%) took loan from Mahajan while only 12.5% from NGOs. It was also observed that there was no Government loan service for fishers. Only 5.8% fishers said they have to keep something mortgage to get loan whereas 1.7% mentioned about physical harassment when they fail to pay the loan interest. Around 25% fishers reported they use same water source for both drinking and domestic use. In total 98.3% fishers drank water from shared tube well while 77.5% fishers use surface water (water of river, canal and pond) for domestic use. About 15.8% and 6.7% respondent fishers mentioned their drinking water have salinity and arsenic, respectively. Almost 81.7% fishers said they use ring slab latrine as toilet while 10% said they have no toilet facility. Among them 42.5% mentioned they use shared toilet and 54.4% use their own toilet. More than 90% fishers cited they worn shoes when they go toilet. Additionally, the present study also provides some recommendations how to improve fishers socio-economic status which are establishment of educational institutes, arrangement of training, increase the awareness about pure and clean water and sanitation, provision of loan, ensuring alternatives income generating activities during fishing ban period and government support.