A giant 26-kilogram Katla fish caught in the mighty Padma River near Aricha was sold for nearly Tk 40,000 at the Daulatdia ferry terminal area in Rajbari today (Tuesday). Local fish trader Sohel Molla bought the fish around noon with plans to resell it at a profit.
The massive fish was caught earlier in the morning by fishermen from Pabna near the river stretch between Daulatdia in Rajbari and Aricha in Manikganj. According to locals, fisherman Jamal Pramanik and his team from Dhalarchar in Aminpur upazila, Pabna, had gone fishing by boat and cast their net in the river close to the border areas of Rajbari and Manikganj. Around 10:30 AM, they felt a heavy tug in the net and upon pulling it up, discovered the huge Katla.
Jamal and his team brought the Katla fish to Daulatdia ghat of Padma river around 11:30 AM and put it up for auction at the wholesale fish market owned by Momin Mondol. Sohel Molla emerged as the highest bidder, purchasing the fish for Tk 1,500 per kilogram.
While a public awareness event on hilsa conservation was being held at nearby ferry terminal 6, crowds of curious locals and traders gathered at Sohel Molla’s Sumaiya Fish Depot near terminal 5 to catch a glimpse of the prized catch.
Masud Molla, Sohel’s business partner, said, “This is one of the few large Katla fish caught this season. Sohel bought it at Tk 1,500 per kg, totaling around Tk 40,000. We’ve kept it in our depot and are contacting interested buyers over the phone. We hope to sell it for at least Tk 42,000, with a margin of Tk 100–150 per kg.”
Rajbari District Fisheries Officer Md Nazmul Huda commented on the catch, saying, “Such large fish are usually found in deep river pockets. Due to the lowering water levels, areas like Kushahata have turned into shallow basins, making them hotspots for catching big fish like pangas, katla, and rui. This is great news for local fishermen and traders.”
