The ongoing flood has washed away the fish from 85,379 farms in Noakhali, causing losses of around Tk 576.50 crore as well as affecting thousands of fish farmers, said Noakhali Department of Fisheries sources.

The flood-affected upazilas are Noakhali Sadar, Begumganj, Kabirhat, Companiganj, Subarnachar, Chatkhil and Sonaimuri, but the most affected fish farmers are from the Begumganj and Comapaniganj upazilas.

According to Department of Fisheries officials and farmers, the losses in the fish farming sector may increase due to the flood that engulfed at least 11 districts of the country.

Rahima Akhter Bebi, 45, and her husband Md Salim have been farming fish for the last 16 years in Darbeshpur village of Noakhali Sadar upazila's Kadirhanif union.

Photo: Anwarul Haider

The couple has been cultivating fish in 10 farms and four ponds with an area of three to four acres of land. They have taken loans worth Tk 30 lakh from Janata Bank and different NGOs for fish cultivation during this season.

"We expected to sell fish worth around Tk 1 crore this season, but the floodwater has washed away everything," Rahima said.

Md Machudul Haque Chowdhury, a resident of Hajipur union of Begumganj upazila, said that he has built a fish farm and hatchery on 60 acres of land. He employed 50 people who have been working in his farm.

"Due to the flood this year I have to count losses of around Tk 7 crore," he said.

Another fish farmer, Sifatul Islam of Char Nanglia village of Subarnachar upazila, set up a farm on four acres of land two years ago. He wanted to become self-dependent without looking for a job since he obtained his graduation from Tejgaon College in Dhaka.

Photo: Anwarul Haider

"I had a target of selling fish worth Tk 8 lakh during the fish selling season in December this year. But my dream has been washed away by the floodwater," he said.

Noakhali Sadar Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Manas Mondal said that the fish from around 15,298 fish farms in the upazila have been washed away.

Meanwhile, Subarnachar Upazila Fisheries Officer Faizur Rahman said that fish worth Tk 13.5 million were washed away by the flood.

Noakhali District Fisheries Officer Md Iqbal Hossain said that the ongoing floods have caused extensive damage to the fisheries resources. After the flood waters recede, the damage may increase further.

A letter has been sent to the Department of Fisheries seeking allocation to assist the flood-affected farmers. If any amount of money is allocated, it will be distributed among the victims, he added.