Dublar Char! The Largest Radiant Dried Fish Of Bangladesh

Fish | Processed Fish | Fishermen Village | Island | Market | Fair

Introduction

Dublar Char Island is very famous for fishing and fish processing village in our country Bangladesh. More than 14 including Dublar Char on the Sundarbans coast have drying fish processing factories where thousands fishermen spend their quality time working day and night relentlessly.

Location

Dublar Char island is located at the Eastern side of Sundarban of Bagerhat district ; Dublar Char as well as Mangrove forest are located on the southern side of the Sundarbans, south west of Kotka and Southeast of Hiron point. 

Tradition

Dublar Char or Island is originally a fisherman village. it is a village where fishing and fish drying are the main occupations. This Char is well known for Hindu punna-sanan, Rasmela(Fair) and abundant deer. The traditional fair Rasmela is about 200 years old. Rasmela attracts people from all over the country and even foreign tourist also spontaneously participate. Apart from famous people, city dwellers also visit this three days long fair.

Fishing Period

The dry fish harvesting season in Sundarbans starts from 1st November. A pass is required from the forest department for catching fish and collection of shutki and this pass must be taken before 1st November. The period for collection of shutki in Dublar Char is till 31st March of the Year.

Radiant Lofts

In the char, fisherman instructed not to harm any trees of the Sundarbans while building their radiant huts and houses. Besides, the forest department staffs are engaged to provide all the facilities to the fishermen. Fisherman, laborers and traders have to stay for about 5 consecutive months and settle there by making their own houses and lofts. Fisherman built such settlements for their own living, fishing gear and drying fish. Fisherman  making these temporary houses  through brought materials like  bas-chotta(Bamboo Material), fence and poles etc. Most of the fishermen come to fish in this shutki villages with loans and credit; and if they don’t get enough fish then they have to count their losses. 

Shutki Types

The famous fishes for shutki processing in Dublar Char are:

• Loytta
• Shrimp
• Rupchanda
• Poa
• Kala Hunger
• Zava
• Kaien Magur
• Gul Bata
• Ilsha Kamot

and many more unknown species of fish. Fisherman are generally catch fishes in about 13 types of nets including behundi towards the estuary and bring the caught fish to pasture in motorised trawlers. It is then sun-dried through various processes and dried them to make shutki. 

Last Word

In Dublar Char the fisherman are facing several problems to stay safely. One of them is a shortage of clean water as well as the biggest problem is that there is no safe place for fisherman to stay during storm surge. A cyclone shelter is essential for the safety of fishermen.