By Biswajit Mondal, from Shyamnagar, Satkhira
A campaign to protect fish resources from pesticide damage was conducted recently in several unions of Shyamnagar upazila, including Burigoalini, Munshiganj, Imbaripur, Ramjannagar, and Shyamnagar Sadar. The initiative was organized by Green Coalition and Sundarbans Student Solidarity Team, with approval from the upazila administration.
Through loudspeaker announcements in villages, campaigners warned farmers about the harmful impacts of pesticides used in paddy cultivation. Local fish species, snails, frogs, leeches, and other aquatic life are dying from chemical runoff, disrupting ecological balance and threatening food security.
The southwest coastal belt of Bangladesh is already disaster-prone, suffering from salinity, waterlogging, erratic rainfall, and drought. In Shyamnagar, aman paddy is the major seasonal crop, grown during the monsoon when freshwater is available. To protect this crop, farmers widely use chemical fertilizers and pesticides. But community members say the long-term effects are devastating, reducing fish biodiversity year after year.
At a quarterly coordination meeting of Green Coalition in Munshiganj Union, participants resolved to step up awareness efforts to conserve local fish species. Youth volunteers are taking a leading role, while the administration and agriculture and fisheries offices are being approached to provide lists of harmful pesticides for farmers’ awareness.
Local communities acknowledged that uncontrolled use of pesticides is accelerating the decline of native fish varieties. They welcomed the campaign, calling it a much-needed initiative to encourage cautious use of chemicals and promote safer alternatives.
