Hundreds of fishermen in the coastal area have been passing days in misery. They lack capital for building new boats or repairing old ones and making fishing nets .

It is learnt by this correspondend while visited various fish treading centres in the river bank of the Meghna the fishermen told this correspondent that 'now' is the best time for preparing them self for next fishing.

Many fishing boats and trawlers remain idle at the following major fish trading centres situated on the Meghna.

The centres are Gazipur, Ilisha, Julatoli and Nasir Mazi in Bhola Sadar, Kazirhat Bhabanipur and Hazipur in Dauldat Khan, Mirjakalu in Borhanuddin, Lord Herdinge in Lalmohon, Charkossopia, and Dhalchar in Charfassion.

Ruhul Amin Majhi of Ilisha who is the head of a six-member family borrowed Tk 2,500 last season from a money lender. But he is yet to repay the money. So, the money lender won't lend him money this year. He faces a grim future being unable to make a boat and fishing net. Pirates looted his boat and fishing boat last season.

Another fish trader Nizamuddin told that an amount Tk 1 to 1.5 lakh is needed to build a fishing trawler. It is not possible for a fisherman to build fishing trawler without bank loan or government assistance, he told this correspondent.

Fishermen are compelled to borrow money from money lenders or wholesalers at different fish trading centres at high interest. As a result the concerned fisherman has to sale fish to them throughout the season at much below the market price. In the process they being deprived of fair price.

Bhola district fishermen's cooperative society secretary Nurul Islam told this correspondent that there should be provision for distribursement of loan among fishermen from government-owned commercial banks.