Demand for small boats in Chalanbeel increased but number of passengers' boats decreased
Mamun Hossain, Pabna
Bangladesh is a riverine country. Therefore, boats have played an important role as a means of transport on the river since ancient times. As the low-lying areas of the villages are flooded during the monsoon season, the demand for boats increases. Due to heavy rains, water has started rising in various rivers, lakes and reservoirs of the district. Various villages are gradually being flooded. Fishermen have also come out to catch fish in the new water of the lakes and rivers. Therefore, the demand for boats increases during the monsoon season. Artisans are also working day and night to meet the demand for boats during the monsoon season. Boats play a very important role in the belan region as a means of transport for traveling from one village to another, going to markets, fishing, collecting fodder, and crossing rivers in different areas.
Therefore, boat builders from Chatmohar, Bhangura and Faridpur upazilas of Pabna, where the Chalanbil people live, are busy building boats in anticipation of the monsoon season. They make a lot of profit by selling boats during the monsoon season.
Abdul Majid, a boat builder from Chatmohar Upazila, said that the demand for boats is increasing in view of the monsoon season. That is why they are working day and night to make boats. He said that even though Ashadh and Shrawan are the monsoon months, low-lying villages and roads and ghats in the bel region are submerged in the monsoon water until Ashadh, Shrawan, Bhadra and Ashwin. As a result, people in these areas travel by boat during the monsoon season. They need boats for every daily task. And that is why the demand for boats increases in the areas during the monsoon season. He said that although boats are needed more or less in all the upazilas of the district, the need for boats is highest in the low-lying villages of Handial, Khan Morich, Dil Pashar, Nimaichada, Ashtamanisha, Chaikola and Pungali unions of Chatmohar, Bhangura and Faridpur upazilas.
When talking to Manjil Hossain, a boat buyer from Handial Naldanga area, he said, "Boats are our daily companions during the monsoon season. They need boats for any purpose, including going from one village to another, fishing, collecting fodder, going to markets and markets. That is why he is coming to the market to buy boats."
When talking to Pran Krishna, a veteran boat craftsman from Handial Mistry Para in Chatmohar Upazila, he said that he has been building boats since 1970. He has been involved in this profession for about 58 years. He has educated his sons and daughters and runs a family by working in this profession. He builds boats for a wage of two to three hundred taka per boat hand. It takes him two to three days to build a small 12-13 hand fishing dinghy. He said that he has built 20 boats so far. The craftsman said that he will build more boats if the water level in the river increases. He said that earlier he used to sell 12-13 hand dinghy boats for two hundred to five hundred taka. Now he sells boats for ten to twelve thousand taka. However, he expressed regret and said that although the price of boats was low earlier, the demand for boats was high, but now the price of small fishing dinghy boats has increased, but the demand for engine-powered passenger and other boats has decreased. He said the reason for this is that earlier there was water in the beels for 4 to 5 months and in the rivers almost all year round. Currently, due to the lack of water in the beels and rivers, there is a demand for small fishing boats, but the demand for large boats has decreased.
Chatmohar upazila boat merchant Abdul Hamid said, "Our area is dominated by chalnabils, so the demand for boats increases during the monsoon season. However, due to the lack of excavation of small culverts, bridges, roads and rivers in various places for several years, they have become filled up. He said that boats can no longer ply like before. This is why boats are not sold like before, said this craftsman. He also said that earlier, people from Gurudaspur in Natore, Tarash, Ullapara in Sirajganj, Chatmohar in Pabna, Bhangura and Faridpur upazilas used to travel by water via chalnabils. He said,
If they used to make 100 boats earlier, now they make 10. He said that earlier they used to make small fishing boats as well as passenger and cargo boats. Currently, due to unplanned development in the beel, boats cannot ply, so they do not make big boats like before. He expressed his dissatisfaction and said that if the rivers and beel are not maintained or renovated now, there will be no more boats in this area in the future.
