Alamgir Hossain, Manikchhari (Khagrachari)

Halda River is the only natural fish breeding ground in South Asia. During the breeding season, all freshwater fish including Rui, Katal, Mrigel, Kalibaush flock to the Halda River like guest birds to lay eggs!

Since Halda water is safer for breeding. Halda is the only tidal river in South Asia and the only ebb and flow river in the world for fish production!

But the importance of Halda is still unknown to the people of Haldapar! As a result, the Manikchhari Fisheries Department has organized a workshop to motivate stakeholders to develop the natural fish breeding ground of Halda River and create public awareness for the conservation of fish resources.

In the Motivational Workshop, Khagrachhari Deputy Commissioner ABM Iftekharul Islam Khandaker said, the Halda River is the only tidal river in the world and the only natural fish breeding ground in South Asia. Due to tobacco cultivation, unplanned sand extraction, uncontrolled hill cutting and tree cutting in the banks of this river, we have already sent the national heritage (heritage) Halda to the ICU! It must be saved from the ICU, Halda must be returned to its previous place, sand extraction, hill cutting must be stopped and alternative farming in stead of tobacco must be introduced.

Khagrachhari District Fisheries Officer Dr. Raju Ahmed, President of the Upazila Parishad, and Upazila Fisheries Officer Mahmudul Hasan, were the chief guests at the motivational workshop held on Monday at the Upazila Parishad conference room. Khagrachhari Deputy Commissioner ABM Iftekharul Islam Khandaker was the chief guest.

The guests who spoke were Halda Project Director Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, UNO Tahmina Afroz Bhuiyan, Police Station OC Sheikh Mahmudul Hasan Rubel, Upazila Animal Resources Officer Mostafa Kamal, Agriculture Officer Zahir Raihan, Upazila BNP President Md. Enamul Haque, Upazila Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Maulana Md. Moniruzzaman, Acting UP Chairman Md. Mosharraf Hossain, Upazila Citizens Committee Representative S.M. Jahangir Alam, Journalist Representative Abdul Mannan, Tobacco Farmer Md. Kamal Hossain, Md. Ershad, Md. Hannan Mia and Fish Farmer Md. Forkan Ali.

District Fisheries Officer Dr. Raju Ahmed said, Halda is a blessing of nature for us. This river is not found in the world! Fish fry from this river are sold for lakhs of taka per kg. As a result, the importance of Halda in meeting the fish demand in the country is immense.