Rajbari:A giant catla fish weighing approximately 23 kilograms was caught in the Padma River near the Daulatdia ferry terminal in Goalanda upazila of Rajbari and sold for Tk 55,200 at an auction on Thursday morning.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the prized catla, fetching Tk 2,400 per kg, was captured by fishermen near ferry terminals No. 3 and 4 early in the morning. The catch was brought to a local fish wholesale market for auction.
Fisherman Lutfar Rahman, also known as Lutfar Halder, regularly fishes in the Padma River and was out before dawn when he felt a strong tug on his net, indicating the capture of a large fish. Upon retrieving the net, he discovered the massive catla, which was immediately taken to Daulatdia ferry terminal for sale.
At Rezaul Mondol's wholesale fish market, the fish was weighed at around 23kg and subsequently auctioned. Local trader Chandu Molla emerged as the highest bidder, purchasing the fish for Tk 55,200. Chandu Molla, who owns a fish wholesale market near ferry terminal No. 5 in Daulatdia, explained that Lutfar Halder contacted him shortly after the catch.
After acquiring the fish, Chandu posted pictures and videos on Facebook and reached out to contacts in search of a buyer. Eventually, a businessman from Dhaka's Gulshan area purchased the fish for Tk 57,500, allowing Chandu to make a profit of Tk 100 per kg. The fish was sent to Dhaka by a long-distance bus around 1030 am.
Chandu remarked on the rarity of catching such a large catla with a cast net and noted it was the first of its size he had bought this season. The capture of large fish in the Padma River is proving beneficial for both fishermen and local fish traders.