Fishermen in Kendua upazila are facing severe difficulties after leasing the government-owned Noadia Beel, located in front of Kamargaon village under Balaishimul Union. For the past two years, they claim they have been unable to fish due to threats from influential locals.
According to official records, Sekul Mia, son of the late Muslim Uddin and general secretary of the Sorapara Fishermen’s Cooperative Society, leased the beel from the district administration on April 14, 2023, for a three-year term. The annual lease fee is Tk 75,000.
Sekul Mia alleges that despite being genuine fishermen, they have been repeatedly threatened by influential individuals from Kamargaon village, preventing them from fishing. He says this obstruction has caused them significant financial losses.
Another cooperative member, Abdul Jalil, said that on February 14 this year, around 5 p.m., a group of 16–17 people from Kamargaon—including Palash Mia, Jahangir, Zia Rahman, Dilkul, and Shah Alam—entered the beel with weapons, created panic, and took away fish worth approximately Tk 800,000. As a result, the leaseholders are now struggling to pay their annual installment.
Seeking justice, Abdul Jalil has filed a case in the Netrokona court against several individuals from Kamargaon, including Ichchab Ali, son of the late Badsha Mia. In response, Ichchab Ali filed a counter-case on April 5 against members of the Sorapara Ekota Fishermen’s Cooperative Society.
Abdul Jalil stated that they legally leased the beel from the government after paying the required fees but are now suffering heavy financial losses due to fish being forcibly taken away.
In contrast, Kamargaon residents Ichchab Ali and Zia Rahman claim that no one prevented the leaseholders from fishing. They argue that fishermen accessing the beel through their farmland damages their land. When asked why they filed a counter-case, Ichchab Ali responded that they did so only because a case had been filed against them first.
Kendua Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land), Naeem-ul-Islam Chowdhury, said that legal action will be taken if the allegations of the leaseholders are proven true following an investigation.
