Imagine the pictures of a village a decade ago — rugged roads, crop fields, settlement of huts on the banks of the river, dark evenings and fishermen suffering from abject miseries. These features used to define the fishing village of Haloishar of Gharisar union under Shariatpur’s Naria upazila. But now, if one visits Haloishar, he or she will find that picture to have transformed into something better owing to various development initiatives by the government and non-governmental organisations over the last few years.
On June 21, the government declared this fishing village as an ideal village. The village has now become a town because of the implementation of integrated development programmes by the Department of Fisheries and various government agencies.
Almost all the amenities of modern urban life are now available in Haloishar. The USAID-funded ECOFISH-II activity, jointly implemented by the Department of Fisheries and WorldFish Bangladesh, has played a key role in the implementation of this model fishing village.
The programme has been taken up under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock on the occasion of Mujib Year – the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
As part of the special programme “My Village, My City,” the government has established this “Model Fishers’ Village”. Under this programme, a plan has been adopted to create employment opportunities and improve the quality of life of the fishers living in Haloishar village by expanding various facilities including infrastructure, fish farming, agro-based industries, agricultural mechanisation, agricultural diversification and market management.
The Department of Fisheries is implementing extensive activities in the village.
Notable among these are implementation of scientific fish farming activities in all ponds of the village and measures to meet the nutritional needs, formation of fish farmer’s teams, training and package-based fish farming exhibitions, formation of fishermen teams, providing training and alternative employment and loan assistance, empowerment of women through reforms and establishment of fish sanctuaries and formation of community savings groups.
Besides, some more activities are being implemented in the village with the help of other government departments. These include installation of deep tube wells and hygienic latrines, construction of roads suitable for vehicular traffic, tree planting, treatment of beneficiaries, poultry and cattle and ensuring 100 percent education for the children of the villagers.
Since 2015, under the ECOFISH-II project several initiatives have been taken to ensure food and nutrition security, create alternative income-generating opportunities and increase social and environmental resilience for the fishers of this village. As part of the programme, fishers received poultry, goats, cows and vegetable seeds. They were also trained in modern methods of fish farming and loan facilities for fisher women were facilitated.
In addition, community fishing guards have been formed with fishermen. They have been cooperating with law enforcement agencies and the administration for co-management activities and work for conservation of Jatka and brood Hilsa, guarding the sanctuary. Identity cards, trousers, towels, umbrellas, aprons, shoes and flashlights have been provided to help them perform their duties. Dadan Sardar, a fisherman of Haloishar, said, “We have benefited a lot from the ECOFISH project. Various awareness-raising activities and livelihood support from the project have changed our lives. We are proud to be residents of this model village.”
Haloishar, once an ordinary fishing village, is now a model village, and all development activities and achievements achieved in this village should be replicated in other villages, opined Naria Upazila Fisheries Officer Mohammad Aminul Haque.