Khulna:Fishing activities at Dublar Char in the Sundarbans have been disrupted by rough weather caused by Cyclone Arnab, forcing thousands of fishermen to take shelter in different canals of the mangrove forest.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, strong winds, heavy rain, and rough seas in the Bay of Bengal have prevented fishermen from venturing into the sea despite the start of the dry fish season on October 30.
Md Kamal Uddin Ahmed, President of the Dublar Fishermen Group, reported that a large number of fishing boats reached Alorkol, Majherkella, Narikelbaria, and Shelar Char on Friday morning after departing late Thursday night. However, due to the rough weather, the fishermen were unable to go ashore to build temporary shelters and fish-storage facilities. Instead, they sought refuge in nearby canals with their boats and trawlers.
Forest Ranger Md Khalilur Rahman, officer-in-charge of the Dublar Forest Patrol Outpost, confirmed that the fishermen could not commence fishing after reaching the char because of the adverse weather conditions. Over 7,000 fishermen have gathered at Dublar Char for the season, which hosts four fishing settlements Alorkol, Majherkella, Narikelbaria, and Shelar Char.
Each year, more than 10,000 fishermen from various parts of the country gather at Dublar Char to catch and dry fish for commercial purposes, with the dried fish later being distributed to markets nationwide. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, divisional forest officer of the Sundarbans East Forest Division, stated that the revenue collection target from Dublar Char for the current season has been set at least Tk 8 crore. This is an increase from Tk 7.5 crore in the 2025-26 fiscal year, where approximately Tk 7.25 crore was collected. Meetings have been held with security agencies to ensure the safety of the fishermen, as some pirate groups remain active in the area despite several having surrendered.