In our country, the ratio of the formal to informal sector is around 15% to 85%. The working patterns of fish workers are mostly informal, and despite the significant contribution of people working in the fishing sector to our national economy, their rights are often overlooked. It is important to ensure the participation of all stakeholders to make the sector sustainable. There is a need to increase cooperation among stakeholders to improve the current situation of fishworkers and ensure their rights.
Although BILS began working on issues related to fishworkers in 2014, the organization has expanded its scope by working on various projects since then. Based on the knowledge and experience gained through working in the field level in the Sustainable Ocean project, we have developed a list of recommendations. We hope to work towards a sustainable fishing sector with the involvement of all stakeholders, including the government, owners, and fishworkers.
Recommendations
The Sustainable Ocean project is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and has the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) as an international partner. At the national level, the lead implementing organization is the Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF). The local implementing partners, BILS and COAST Foundation, worked in the Patharghata sub-district of Barguna and the Moheshkhali sub-district of Cox’s Bazar, respectively.
For this project, we conducted several studies, including a situation analysis of human rights in the fisheries industry, a study on the human rights situation in the shrimp industry, a legal and policy analysis of the fishing sector from a human rights perspective, a study on the industrial marine fisheries sector, and a survey on the availability of fishworkers cards.
The fisheries sector is unique due to its different labour patterns. Regular working hours and holidays do not typically apply to fishworkers, and the breaks between work periods are also different. For example, when a trawler begins its voyage to sea, fishworkers must work uninterrupted for 15 to 20 days.
During our assessment of various government legal and policy documents, we found different terms used to refer to these people. The lack of a distinctive definition creates confusion about which group should receive privileges when benefits are given by the government. Therefore, we recommend using the term “fishworkers” to define fishermen, women fisheries workers and other labour force associated with fishing so that all of them can benefit.
We conducted 2,000 interviews in the Patharghat and Moheshkhali areas as part of a situation analysis of human rights in the fishery sector. Some of the findings include the absence of written contracts, unfair wages, unsafe working conditions, no fixed working hours, fishing in dangerous conditions, child labour, lack of basic facilities such as housing and medical facilities, sexual harassment, and environmental degradation.
We also conducted a separate study on the human rights situation in the shrimp industry, which focused on three sources: factories, dipos (processing facilities), and shrimp enclosures. Generally, at the time of conducting that study, we found that 2 out of 3 workers did not have appointment letters. 72% of workers did not receive pay slips, and those who did receive them did not have working hours listed on them. Around 75% of factory workers tended to work overtime. 49% of workers claimed that they were not provided with personal protective equipment. According to 63% of workers, women did not receive equal pay for the same amount of work.
The findings of the study on the industrial marine fisheries sector in Bangladesh include an oversupply of industrial trawlers compared to fisheries resources, violations of laws, policies, and guidelines, illegal entry of vessels within Bangladesh’s boundaries, lack of regular research continuation on fisheries resources, the destruction of small fisheries through illegal and unregulated fishing, and the negative impacts of climate change and pollution.
To analyse the legal and policy framework for the fisheries sector in Bangladesh, we assessed the activities of government organisations, the citizen charter, and all relevant laws, policies, and rules.
We recommend creating an accurate list of fishworkers under the supervision of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. This list should be updated at least every two years. Additional recommendations include providing financial assistance for daily expenses along with food aid during the fishing ban, and ensuring sustainable alternative employment for fishworkers on an urgent basis to address financial crises during the fishing ban.
Other recommendations based on the project include including fishworkers in labor laws, conducting regular research on fisheries’ stock, biodiversity, and climate management and conservation, providing social security allowances and skill development to ensure alternative employment for fishworkers during fishing bans, regularly inspecting shrimp enclosures, and ensuring the safety of fishworkers who put their lives at risk.
Mizanur Rahman Bahadur, COAST Foundation Representative, Moheshkhali and Advisor, Cox’s Bazaar Fishing Boat Workers’ Union
During the fishing ban season, many fishworkers are unable to join alternative works due to their lack of skills beyond fishing. To meet basic needs, they often have to rely on loans, which can lead to a cycle of debt. This eventually decreases the quality of their living conditions. If we do not take initiatives now, we may face a shortage of fishworkers in the future.
Aid, such as rice, often only reaches a small number of fishworker families due to a lack of accountability among relevant authorities. The government should increase transparency in the distribution of aid by using digital platforms.
The lack of employment contracts makes it difficult to prove employment. Without documentation, the owner of the trawler may deny the presence of the deceased or missing person on the vessel. These issues must also be addressed. We hope that government and industry leaders will work to ensure the rights, safety, and security of these people and make the process of obtaining aid more accessible, considering their literacy levels.
S M Zakir Hossain, BILS Representative, Patharghata, and Social Welfare Secretary, Jatiya Sramik Federation
Many fishermen have drowned in the sea due to strong cyclones. When our fishermen are washed ashore in neighbouring countries, they are often mistreated by their coast guard and even imprisoned. In contrast, their fishermen are given food and shelter in our coastal areas. Additionally, there are some areas in the Sundarbans where trawlers are not allowed to take shelter, and if they do, they are heavily fined. In case of natural disasters, where will our fishermen go if our places impose fines upon us?
During the fishing ban, which lasts 207 days out of the year, fishermen are not allowed to fish. However, the government incentives provided to them are not sufficient. I recommend that at least 60 kg of rice and TK 5000 be given to fishermen during the ban period…