More than 63,000 registered fishermen in Cox’s Bazar are still waiting for government-promised food assistance, nearly a month into the 58-day fishing ban in the Bay of Bengal and Naf River.
The ban, which began on April 15 and will continue until June 12, is intended to allow marine fish stocks to regenerate. But with no alternative income sources, many fishermen are struggling to survive.
According to the government’s relief plan, each affected fisherman is supposed to receive 86 kg of rice, split into two phases: 56 kg in the first phase and 30 kg in the second. However, as of May 14, the rice has yet to reach the majority of the fishermen in Cox’s Bazar, Teknaf, Kutubdia, Maheshkhali, Chakaria, and Pekua upazilas.
“We are barely surviving. Some families are going half-fed or completely without food,” said Rahim Uddin, a fisherman from Kutubjum Union, Maheshkhali.
The crisis is worse in Teknaf, where at least 12,000 fishermen families haven’t received their food aid. The situation is also grim in Maheshkhali, where out of 28,000 fishermen, 15,832 are registered but none have received their share of rice yet.
Md Badruzzaman, Cox’s Bazar District Fisheries Officer, confirmed the delay. “The government rice has not arrived yet. Once we receive it, we’ll start immediate distribution.”
Multiple Challenges Compound the Crisis
Aside from the seasonal ban, fishermen have faced months of hardship due to natural disasters, rough seas, and growing threats from the Myanmar-based Arakan Army. Over 200 Bangladeshi fishermen have been kidnapped in recent months, including 23 just days before the fishing ban began.
Md Abul Kalam, General Secretary of the Teknaf Fishing Boat Owners’ Association, stated, “Many fishermen live in fear. Even before the ban, they couldn’t fish safely due to kidnapping threats.”
Trawler owners like Abdul Amin of Shahparir Dwip, and union representatives such as Abdul Mannan, say the lack of food aid has left entire communities desperate. “These families rely solely on fishing. No income means no food.”
A Call for Urgent Action
There are more than 128,000 fishermen working on approximately 6,000 small and large trawlers in Cox’s Bazar district, according to the local fishing boat owners’ association. 90% of them had already been struggling before the ban due to weather-related disruptions and hostile conditions at sea.
With no aid yet delivered, their situation grows more desperate by the day.
As Bangladesh works to protect marine resources through temporary bans, stakeholders are urging the government to ensure timely delivery of promised aid to help these communities survive the fishing off-season.
