Human Chain held in Shyamnagar demanding Ban on ‘Chinese Duari Nets’

By S.M. Osman Goni Sohag, from shymnagar, Satkhira

A human chain was organized in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira district recently demanding an immediate ban on the use of Chinese Duari nets and other harmful foreign fishing nets in Bangladesh’s coastal rivers and canals.

The event took place in front of the Shyamnagar Press Club, jointly organized by the Green Coalition and local youth organizations, with support from BARCIK and the Agroecology Fund.

Participants including members of the local fisher community, farmers, environmental activists, youth, and civil society representatives participating in event displayed placards with slogans such as “Stop Chinese Duari Nets,” “Save Aquatic Resources, Protect Fishers’ Lives,” and “Prevent the Extinction of Indigenous Fish Species.”

Speakers at the event said that the Chinese Duari net, with its extremely fine mesh, traps nearly all aquatic organisms ranging from fish fry to frogs, snails, and shellfish which cause severe ecological destruction and threatening the survival of local fish species.

They further said that the uncontrolled use of these nets in the rivers, canals, and wetlands of Shyamnagar, Ashashuni, and Kaliganj upazilas is creating an alarming environmental imbalance and depriving small fishers of their livelihoods.

The speakers demanded that the government immediately ban the import and use of all harmful foreign fishing nets, including Chinese Duari nets, take legal action against illegal net traders, and ensure alternative livelihoods and social protection for affected small-scale fishers.

The human chain was chaired by Sheikh Afzalur Rahman, Member of the Shyamnagar Upazila Green Coalition, and addressed by Samiul Azam Monir, President of Shyamnagar Press Club; Birendra Nath Bishwas, Member of Ishwaripur Union Parishad; Kiron Shankar Chatterjee, Secretary of Shyamnagar Municipal Green Coalition; Debiranjan Mondal, Farmers’ Leader from Jelekhali; Habibur Rahman, President of Kaikhali ICM Farmers’ Association; Dr. Jogesh Mondal, President of Munshiganj Union Green Coalition; Gangaram Dhibar, President of Sonamukgari Fisher Welfare Association; Saidul Islam, President of Sundarban Youth Solidarity Team; Kohinur Begum, Women Farmer; Gazi Al Imran, Development Worker; Bilal Hossain, President of Sundarban Press Club; Mominur Rahman, General Secretary of the Online News Club; and Ramkrishna Jowardar, Acting Regional Coordinator of BARCIK.

Following the human chain, participants submitted a memorandum to the Fisheries Advisor through the Shyamnagar Upazila Executive Officer (UNO), urging immediate administrative action.