Present Scenario of fisheries in Bangladesh - Part -two

4.       Sources of Revenue Earnings

There are two major sources for government revenue-earning:

1. Tax Revenues (TR)

2. Non-tax Revenues (NTR)

All revenue earning by the DoF is Non-tax Revenues. During last five years, non-tax revenue earned by the DoF is shown in Table

Table: Nontax revenue earned in the last five years

2.    Marketing and export/ import:

Almost all farmed produced shrimps are exported as processed frozen seafood and are the second-largest export item in Bangladesh. The contribution of fisheries sub-sector to the total export earnings during 2010-11 was 2.73%. Presently 82 processing plants are in operation, all are HACCP certified and licensed by DoF for export of fish and fish products to European Union (EU), USA, Japan, Russia, Korea, China and India. In order to find out new market destination, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock have already sent a proposal to sign MoU with five East- European Nations for exporting fishery products. As a consequence of repeated Rapid Alert System of Food and Feed (RASFF) against Bangladeshi freshwater prawn being contamination with Nitrofuran metabolites especially Semicarbazide (SEM) in May 2009. Bangladesh Government had been imposed a six-month voluntary ban on the export of freshwater prawn to the EU market. The number of RASFF was increased in 2009 because of adopting faulty protocol by Belgian testing laboratory. The Belgian laboratory started testing shrimp with tail and exoskeleton instead of flesh. Under these circumstances, Bangladesh along with donors and private initiatives undertook several measures to identify sources of Nitrofuran contamination. As well as the country has been engaged in an international residue expert to research the issue.

 Finally the fact was identified that live crustaceans are able to synthesize SEM naturally and accumulate it in their shell and tail. In order to check the quality of exported shrimp the EU authority has imposed a 20% mandatory testing requirement at border entry of European countries. MoFL along with DoF took serious measures to rectify the controlling measures, legal provisions as well as monitoring measures of food contamination. As a result, the EU authority has lifted the 20% mandatory testing requirement of exported products at the EU border and it is notable that this mandatory requirement still prevails in some large shrimp exporting countries. Fish is exported to foreign countries, other than India, through Chittagong and Mongla Ports. Of late, some fish and shrimp are also being air-freighted to the Middle –East, and U.K. from Dacca. Until recently, fish used to be exported to India from many different centers. It has now been decided that the BFDC will control all fish export to India through five selected points viz., Barisal, Khulna, Sylhet, Narayanganj, and Fardipur.

2.1. Equipment import

The major imports of equipment since 1972 consist of trawlers (from USSR, UK, Denmark), marine engines (from USSR, Denmark, Japan, Sweden, Norway, Germany), Synthetic twine and ropes (from USSR, Denmark, Japan, Norway), boat-building timber (from India), refrigeration complexes (from Japan, Denmark), ice plants (from Denmark, Norway, Rumania), a fishmeal plant and a shark liver oil plant (from Denmark), a fully equipped inland fishery research vessel (from Denmark), refrigerated and insulated lorries (from Rumania, Japan) and training equipment for marine fishing (from USSR).

3.   Fish and Shrimp Culture

3.1.               Fish Culture

3.1.1.   Pond aquaculture

Currently pond aquaculture has been practiced in a total area of about 3.5 lakh ha which is 7.4 % of total inland water. Pond aquaculture is producing about 1199866 mt fish which contributing 47.70% of total inland production in 2010-11. The pond production involves composite culture produces an average 3430 kg/ha whereas there are records of 63 mt/ha production of pangas under intensive farming in Mymensingh region.

3.1.2.       Fish culture in paddy field

Paddy fields and seasonal floodplains are promising and potential resources for aquaculture. It has been estimated that paddy fields cover an area of about 80 lakh ha of which 28.34 lakh ha floodplains which remain 4-5 months under water.

3.1.3.       Fish culture in borrow-pit and khal

Different types of waterbodies improved under Integrated Fisheries and Livestock Development Project in Flood Control, Drainage and Irrigation (FCDI) Project area and other waterbodies also included in the aquaculture systems.

3.1.4.   Fish culture in baor (Ox-bow lake):

A total of about 600 baors having an area of 5,488 ha are situated in the south west part of the country. Different development projects have been implementing to increase the fish production from baor. The total water area of baors have been developed and brought under improved aquaculture through fingerling stocking and management practices. Six baors of Jessore district were under disposal of DoF till Feb/2009 and now these baors are under disposal of Department of Fisheries according to the MoU signed between Ministry of Land and Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries for next 6 years. Besides this, 30 baors are managing by OLP-2 project of DoF with the financial support of IFAD. These baors covered area of 1137 ha and fish production has increased from 80 kg to 750 kg/ha (DoF 2008). Local fisher communities are being involved in the baor management and improved their livelihood.

3.1.5.   Cage culture

Cage aquaculture has been identified as a means of livelihoods for landless people. Northwest Fisheries Extension Project (NFEP) in Parbatipur, Dinajpur and Patuakhali Barguna Aquaculture Extension Project (PBAEP) demonstrated cage aquaculture as pilot basis. The production achieved through cage culture was encouraging and satisfactory but the activities were discontinued due to socio-economic condition of the farmers and some constrains. Cage culture of monosex tilapia is being practiced in Chandpur, Laxmipur Faridpur, Barishal, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Munsigonj, Gopalganj and other regions of Bangladesh. In 2011, about 6750 MT fish produced from 6000 cages.

3.1.6.  Pen culture

Pen culture is also one of the potential means of producing fish from vast water body or water channel. In recent years, pens are made with different materials like bamboo, net, iron-meshed, wooden pillar etc. The area of pen also varies in size from half to few ha. The fish species reared in the pen are carp, tilapia, pangas etc.

3.1.7.      Integrated fish farming:

The integration of aquaculture with duck and chicken production was begun experimentally at the BFRI, Mymensingh producing some promising results. The project demonstrated that 500 khaki Campbell ducks can be profitably raised on a 1 ha carp pond while also producing 4.5 tonnes/ha of fish without any additional need for supplementary feed or fertiliser for the fish. The most promising integrated farming in Bangladesh however, is rice fish culture, Ameen (1987) reported on the technique from many parts of Bangladesh. Traditionally one or more sump pond(s) are constructed at the lowest corner of the paddy field where fish accumulate as the water level reduces, thus fish are harvested from the sump without any additional stocking or management practices being required.

       6.2.1.  Shrimp Culture:

The major shrimp producing districts are Bagerhat, Satkhira, Pirojpur, Khulan, Cox's Bazar and Chittagong, recently farmers especially in the Bagerhat and Pirojpur districts have begun shrimp farming in their paddy fields. Traditionally shrimp farming began by trapping tidal waters in nearby coastal enclosures known as 'gher' where no feed, fertilisers or other inputs were applied, with an increasing demand from both national and international markets farmers started to switch over into improved extensive and semi-intensive systems.

With the expansion of aquaculture, environmental degradation, biodiversity and the control of the outbreak of disease especially in the coastal farming operations have become the major issues. Shrimp post larvae (PL) collectors are estimated to destroy nearly 100 other species of flora and fauna while collecting post larvae of Penaeus monodon , moreover, the destruction of mangrove forest for coastal shrimp culture and the introduction of viral diseases in semi-intensive farms has also become serious issues for concern. For inland aquaculture, habitat destruction, the use of insecticides and the introduction of diseases like epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) have also become important issues. There are two types of cultue

1.      Shrimp (Bagda) Culture

2.      Shrimp (Golda) Culture

Shrimp farming and production:

Prawn(golda) farming and production:

4.      FISHERY ORGANISATIONS

Several organizations are involved in fishery development. Thus the fishery administration and management in Bangladesh is characterized by multiple controls. The main administrative body was however, the Forest Fisheries and Livestock Division of the Ministry of agriculture until June 1977 when the Government by issuing a notification had transferred "Marine Fishery, Fishing and Fisheries beyond territorial waters (including deep sea fishing), Fish Harbours, Fish Quality Testing Laboratories at Chittagong and Khulna and other ancillary organizations" from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Commerce. However, since December 1977, the Government has again reconsolidated both marine and inland fisheries in a newly established Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. This action augurs well for the future of fisheries. The recent moves are also most commendable evidence of the recognition on the part of a forward-looking Government of the great importance of the living aquatic resources for the future of Bangladesh. The chief public sector agencies involved in the implementation of fishery development activities are Directorate of Fisheries and Bangladesh Development Corporation (BFDC). Other departments and agencies of public and cooperative sectors involved one way or the other in fisheries activities are (a) Directorate of Cooperatives (b) Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP), (c) Ministry of Land Administration and Land Reform (d) Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (e) Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC), (f) Bangladesh Jatiya Matshyajibi Samabaya Samity (BJMSS), (g) Planning Commission and certain (h) Universities. A few voluntary organizations are also directly involved in fishery development

5.      FISH PROCESSING CENTRE

i. BFDC

ii. BSFIC

iii. BJMSS

vi. Private entrepreneurs

i.                    BFDC :

Fish processing facilities of the BFDC are located at Cox's Bazar, Chittagong and Mongla. The fish processing complex at Cox's Bazar is located on a 4 - hectare plot on the Baghkhali river about three and-a-half miles upstream from the mouth of the river, and about 3 miles upstream from the BFDC Wholesale Fish Market. The processing complex which has been in operation since 1966-67 includes crude facilities for manufacturing fishmeal and sharkliver oil. There is also a modern drying kiln at Cox's Bazar. Al the Chittagong Fish Harbour, small-scale canning facilities, a modern sharkliver oil plant, a fishmeal plant and a freezing plant are available under the scheme "Fish and by-products processing units at Chittagong". The canning machineries were received from Japan through UNDP source back in 1968. The sharkliver oil plant and the fishmeal plant have been procured through DANIDA and installed in 1976-77. The freezing plant is of Japanese origin but donated by the USSR Government. The plant was installed at the end of 1977. At Mongla in Khulna, a refrigeration complex of Danish orgin is being installed on a 13.4 hectare plot of land acquired on the left bank of the Pussur river in the port area. The installation work cannot perhaps be completed before the end of 1978. In addition to providing ice and cold storage facilities to the fishermen of Sundarbans area, this complex will process shrimp and fish and export them in frozen condition.

ii.                  BSFIC

There are two factories at Khulna, namely, Bangladesh Cold Storage, and Fish Export Limited, and three at Chittagong, namely, Bay Fishing Limited, Amin Agency, and Eastern Fisheries Limited, engaged in processing (dressing, packaging and freezing) shrimp, fish and frogles. These are hundred percent export-oriented industries, and the factories export all of their products in frozen condition.

iii.                BJMSS

The Bangladesh Jatiya Motshyajibi Samabaya Samity has dressing, packaging and freezing facilities at Chittagong. The BJMSS's processing facilities are also hundred percent export-oriented.

iv.                Private entrepreneurs

There are two factories, namely, Eastern Sea Food Ltd., and Labonchora Fish Processing Factory in Khulna and three factories namely, Frozen Food, Banglaesh Food, and Choudhury & Co. in Chittagong. Like the BSFIC and BJMSS, the private fish processing factories are also entirely export oriented and have dressing, packaging and freezing facilities. Fish processing in the small-scale fishery sector includes sun-drying, salting and smoking. Although no correct statistics are available, large volumes of fish and shrimp are sun-dried in a crude way by the small fishermen. In Dubla Island (Khulna) alone, about 3,000 tons (dry weight) of dry fish including 60 tons of dry shrimp are produced annually.

9. The institutional framework:

The following institutional bodies are involved in aquaculture and fisheries in Bangladesh:

• Department of Fisheries (DoF) under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MoFL) is the sole authority with administrative control over aquaculture in Bangladesh. The DoF is managed by a Director General and has two main sub-departments namely, inland and marine. The main responsibilities held by the DoF include planning, development, extension and training, DoF has six divisional offices, 64 district offices and 497 upazilla (sub-districts) offices and in addition it has 118 hatcheries and four training centers (Mazid, 2002).
• Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) conducts and coordinates research and to some extent training.
• Bangladesh Rural Development Board is responsible for the fisheries component of integrated rural development.
• Land Administration and Land Reform Division is responsible for the leasing of public water bodies.
• Export Promotion Bureau is responsible for export of fisheries products, along with the Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association which is also involved in the export of frozen shrimp, fish and fish products.
• The country's universities are responsible for higher level fisheries education.
• External Resource Division under the Ministry of Finance is responsible for external aid for aquaculture development.
• Bangladesh Krishi (Agriculture) Bank, Bangladesh Samabay (Co-operative) Bank and some other commercial banks are responsible for issuing credit to the aquaculture sector.
• Many of the national and international NGO's provides credits to the fish farmers and as well as takes up projects for aquaculture extension and development.
• International organizations (DFID, Danida, NORAD, JICA, World Bank, IMF, ADB etc.) provide grants and credits for aquaculture development.
• Youth Development Training Centers, under the Ministry of Youth, deals with extension and the training of unemployed young people and fish farmers.

10. Applied research, education and training:  

 Experts from the DoF, BFRI, universities and NGOs develop research ideas and agree priorities through detailed discussion in workshops, the selected research topics are then sent to the MoFL for approval and execution. The main task of conducting applied and adaptive research has been bestowed upon the BFRI although universities are also involved. The Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) is the national body for coordinating, monitoring and evaluating all aquaculture research, in addition international organisations such as CIRDAP, FAO, DFID, Danida, World Bank, CIDA, IDRC and World Fish Center are also involved in action oriented research programs related to aquaculture in Bangladesh.

Formal fisheries education and research first began at the Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh in 1967, the faculty offers B.Sc. Fisheries (eight semesters), M.Sc. (three semesters) and Ph.D. degrees in various specialised areas of fisheries and aquaculture. Later, the Institute of Marine Science was established at Chittagong University in 1973, followed by the Fisheries and Marine Science discipline in Khulna University in 1991, the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries at Dhaka University in 1998 and the Department of Aquaculture at Rajshahi University in 2000 for fisheries education and research. The Zoology departments at the above and other universities also offer subjects related to aquaculture and fisheries.

The Bangladesh Agricultural University offers training to the Government and NGO fisheries officers through its Graduate Training Institute, other institutes offering fisheries education and training are the Marine Fisheries Academy, Chittagong which offers 1–2 year diploma courses, the Fisheries Training Academy at Savar, Dhaka, the Fisheries Training Institute, Chandpur, offers 1–3 months training. The Fish Hatchery and Training Center, Raipur, the Fisheries Training Center, Faridpur and Vocational Youth Training Centers provide diploma certificates.

Trends, issues and development. 11. Recommendation:

The following issues require to be addressed in future:

• To bring all available water bodies under modern fish culture regimes.
• To generate increased employment opportunities in fisheries and allied industries.
• To conserve fisheries resources and species biodiversity.
• To develop fish landing and marketing systems.
• To establish institutional frameworks to ensure research findings are made available to the relevant people.
• To provide an adequate provision of financial assistance to fish and shrimp farmers.
• To increase and sustain fish production for both domestic consumption and export.

Present scenario of fisheries in Bangladesh- Part one

1.      Introduction:

Bangladesh is a South Asian country located in between latitude 20°34' and 26°39' north and longitude 80°00' and 90°41' east. The country is crisscrossed with hundreds of rivers and it has established a credible record of sustained growth within a stable macro-economic framework where fisheries sector play an imperative and prospective involvement in agro-based pecuniary expansion, destitution easing, employment and delivering of animal protein and grossing the overseas exchange. Fish (including shrimp and prawn) is the second most valuable agricultural crop and its production contributes to the livelihoods and employment of millions. The key objectives of the sector are enhanced fisheries production; poverty alleviation through creating self-employment and improvement of the socio-economic paradigm of the fishers; meet the demand for animal protein; achieve economic growth and earn foreign currency by exporting fish and fisheries products and maintain ecological balance; conserve biodiversity and improve public health.

Bangladesh has achieved remarkable progress in the fisheries sector since its independence in 1971. Fisheries sector has been playing a very significant role and deserves potential for future development in the agrarian economy of Bangladesh. This sector contributes 4.39% to the national GDP and almost one fourth (22.76%) to the agricultural GDP (Bangladesh Economic Review 2012). In recent years, this sector performs the highest GDP growth rate in comparison to other agricultural sectors (crop, livestock, and forestry). The growth rate of this sector over the last 10 years is almost steady and encouraging, varying from 4.76 to 7.32 percent with an average of 5.61 percent. Whereas the last four years the average growth rate of this sector is 6.22 percent. The country's export earnings from this sector are 2.46% in 2011-12. The sector's contribution to the national economy is much higher than its 4.39% share in GDP, as it provides about 60% of the animal protein intake and more than 11% of the total population of the country is directly or indirectly involved in this sector for their livelihoods. There are 40.24 lakh ha open water bodies in our country. Among them, 8.5 lakh ha are rivers and estuaries, 1.8 lakh ha Sundarbans, 1.1 lakh ha beel, 28.32 lakh ha floodplains and 68,800 ha Kaptai. Beel is one of the best natural habitats for the indigenous fishes of different food habits of Bangladesh. Most of the aquatic species especially the fish and prawn enter the inundated areas of the beel from the adjoining rivers and canals to feed and grow during the monsoon months.  The ‘beel’ a Bengali term is used for a large surface water body that accumulates surface runoff water through the internal drainage channel. Bangladesh has thousands of beels, with the most common names being Chalan Beel, Gopalganj-Khulna Beel, Meda Beel, Aila Beel, Dekhar beel, Kuri Beel, Erali beel, and Arial Beel. The average rate of production from beel is 714 kg/ha which can be increased manifold.

 Therefore, it can reduce its malnutrition problem by increasing the production of fish. The fisheries sector creates more than 1.65 million people in employment opportunities. A large portion of rural family members is engaged in part-time fishing from the rivers and other open water bodies. The mission of the fish department is to support sustainable growth in fish and shrimp production with other aquatic resources for domestic consumption and exports as well and management of open water fisheries resources through community participation leading to equitable distribution of the benefits generated for optimal economic and social growth of Bangladesh. The total area of perennial inland water is generally estimated at 1.58 million hectares while the area of inundated paddy fields and other low-lying places that retain monsoon waters for about six months allowing seasonal fish culture is estimated at 2.83 million hectares. The Republic has a 480 - kilometer long coastline and approximately 1 million hectares of territorial waters. The nation's exclusive economic zone extends 320 km out to the sea from the coastline. Thus the nation's total area of waters having fish production potential is very great.

2.      Fishery Resources:

Bangladesh is endowed with rich and extensive fisheries resources. Due to natural conditions and geographical location, Bangladesh has huge fisheries resources having a high potential of increasing fisheries production. The country's fisheries may be conveniently divided into inland and marine sectors, although the dividing line between salt and freshwater, and open sea and inland waterway is very nebulous. Fishermen too move seasonally from inland open waters to sea fishing so that any demarcation between the two fisheries must be arbitrary. Inland fisheries is further divided into two groups i.e. aqua-culture and inland capture. Inland fisheries occupy an area of 45.75 lakh ha and marine capture covers 1, 66,000 sq.km. The culture fisheries include ponds, ox-bow lakes, and coastal shrimp farms. The flood-plains and the beels, which cover an area of 29.5 lakh ha, offering tremendous scope and potential for augmenting fish production by adopting aquaculture based enhancement techniques.

2.1. Inland Fisheries

The inland fishery resources of Bangladesh are considered to be unexcelled either in area or potential by any other inland fisheries of the world. Inland fisheries contribute nearly 90 percent to the total catch of fish in Bangladesh. Inland culture includes mainly pond/ditch, baor, shrimp/prawn farm, seasonal cultured water-body etc. covering an area of about 7.41 lakh ha and produces 17.26 lakh MT fish and shrimp in the 2011-12. Though the closed water area is only 15.55% of the total inland water-bodies, but 52.92% of the total yield comes from inland aquaculture. The inland water resources can be conveniently divided into the following categories:

 a) Open inland waters which include the rivers and their tributaries; 'baors', 'haors' and 'beels' connected at least occasionally with rivers and streams; and the estuaries, The main river system in Bangladesh includes the Padma, the Meghna, The  Brahmaputra and the Karnaphuli and their tributaries. The baors comprise ox-bow lakes and other forms of defunct rivers. There are many large and small baors in Jessore district and several in the districts of Kushtia and Faridpur. Among the larger baors in Jessore, Baluhar Baor (272 hectare), Joydia Baor (207), Sasta Baor (187), Morjad Baor (292), Bergobindapur Boar (214) and Jhampa Baor (183) represent only a few. The haors  synonymously called beels, are natural depressions used partially as agricultural lands, and seasonally or perennially filled from adjacent rivers or monsoon waters. Most of the larger haors/beels are located in Sylhet, Mymensingh and Faridpur. Kakaluki Haor (36,437 hectare), Tangua Haor (25,506) and Bardai Haor (3,239) in Sylhet district, and Beel Meskha (6,478) and Bengla Char Banda (6,073) in Mymensingh are among the big freshwater and salt water. The estuarine region of Bangladesh is interspersed with numerous distributaries of rivers, inlets of the sea and defunct streams which are interconnected with numerous channels. The deltaic area in Bangladesh is an archipelago. 

b) Closed waters include ponds, dighis and tanks. For irrigation and other general purposes the feudal kings moharajas and land lords of the past had excavated tanks, dighis (larger tanks) and moats and thus set examples of their benevolent spirit for the good of their subjects. Simultaneously, well-to-do commoners also for their own requirements excavated quite a large number of tanks and dighis but of comparatively small size. As a result, water bodies of assorted shape and size are common almost everywhere in the country. In some places these ponds and dighis are widely scattered and, in some places in clusters or in groups. With political and social changes, the system of administration has also changed and the feudal system has since been abolished. All landed properties including the ponds owned by the Zamindars have been acquired by the Government. Due to continuous neglect most of these water bodies have turned into derelict waters. The number of such derelict ponds, dighis and canals are numerous

Rivers and estuaries are major sources of fish fry which are collected and used for fish culture in closed and semi-enclosed waters. The major carps species e.g., Rui, Catla,  Mrigal etc., occur throughout the larger river systems in Bangladesh where the sexually mature brood fish spawn during monsoon when rivers are in flood. Major spawning grounds of these valuable fish species include:

i. Halda River - the lower reaches of the river from Sattaghat (near Gahira) to

its confluence with the Karnaphuli River.

ii. Arial Khan River - the region near Madaripur.

iii. Garai River - near the general area of Kushtia.

iv. Ganges River - the area west of Rajshahi and estward in areas near Lalpur.

v. Jamuna River - the regions adjacent to Sirajganj and near Fulchharighat.

vi. Old Brahmaputra River - the region north of Mymensingh.

Table: Types of inland waters having fish production potential

2.2. Marine Fisheries

In addition to the above inland waters, the Republic has an extensive shelf area of which 37000 km (square kilometres) is no deeper that 50m (metres). The enire shelf  (down to 200m) covers an area of 67,000 km. According to West, Bangladesh continental shelf covers an area of 27,000 mi (square miles) or 69,900 km. Beyond this continental shelf is the deep sea. The segment of marine water extending from the coast line into the sea upto the limit of 12 miles (19km) constitutes the territorial water of Bangladesh. The Republic reserves the exclusive right for exploitation of fisheries from this territorial water mass measuring approximately 1 million hectares. The declared economic zone extends 200 miles (320 km) out to the sea from the coast line. There are many indications that the continental-shelf waters of Bangladesh are rich in fish, shellfish and other biological resources potential of the Bay of Bengal.

Table  - Important commercial marine fish and shrimp species in the upper Bay of Bengal

 3.      Production:

The country has huge opportunities for the development of brackish water aquaculture boosting shrimp production and earning substantial amount of foreign currencies. Production of shrimp from culture and capture fisheries increased to a great extent in the beginning of 1980's. Since then, brackish water shrimp farming has been expanded to over 2.14 lakh ha of land by 2011 from 1.4 lakh ha in 1980. It is expected that with the introduction of improved scientific method of shrimp culture, the present production of shrimp will be increased substantially. The country has limited access to marine fisheries resources in the Bay of Bengal. Only demarsal fish and shrimp are being trapped from here. Other potential marine resources are yet to be exploited on commercial scale. Only 18% of total fish production comes from Marine capture fisheries and 82% from inland fisheries.

The present democratic government has undertaken new policy for sustainable aquaculture production; provide need based aquaculture extension services, implements fish conservation activities which increase the national fisheries production as well as the growth rate in fisheries sector. Besides these, fisheries extension and conservation activities, AIGs and rehabilitation programs for poor fishers etc. were undertaken. Through the Execution of Fisheries Friendly Policy of the present government, total fish production has been increased from 27.00 lakh metric ton in 2008-09 to 30.62 lakh metric ton in 2010-11.

Present Scenario of Mineral Resources in Bangladesh: A Compact Analysis (part 2)

Oil:

The only oilfield of the country has been discovered at Haripur in 1986 that is located in near Haripur in the eastern hilly district of Sylhet, but these have yet to be developed. The Haripur reserves are estimated at 40 Mbbl, with a recoverable reserve of about 6 million barrels and the total resource is likely to be much higher. For meeting the total requirement of commercial energy, Bangladesh imports yearly about 1.3 million metric tons of crude oil.

Coal:

As well as natural gas, Bangladesh has significant coal reserves. Coal first discovered in the country by Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) in 1959 was at great depth. geological survey of Bangladesh (GSB) continued its efforts for exploration that resulted in the discovery of 4 coalfields. BHP Minerals, a US-Australian the company, discovered a field in 1997 totaling 5 coalfields. Coal reserves of about 3.3 billion tons comprising 5 deposits at depths of 118-1158 meters have been discovered so far in the north-western part of Bangladesh. The name of these deposits are-Barapukuria, Phulbari and Dighipara coalfield in Dinajpur district, Khalashpir in Rangpur district, and Jamalganj in Joypurhat district. Out of which 4 deposits (118-509 meters) are extractable at present. As an alternative fuel to natural gas, coal can be extensively used. The depth of Jamalganj coal deposit is 640-1158 meter with 1053 Million Tones in-situ coal reserve where production may not be viable by the present day’s technology due to the depth of the deposits. Possibilities of extraction of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) need to be explored from these coal deposits. Government is actively reviewing the law to be applicable for Exploration and Production of Coal Bed Methane. So far, only Barapukuria coalfield is under production. Details of the coalfields and quality of the coal are shown below.

The development of underground Barapukuria Coal Mine, one of the five fields, started in June 1996, which was scheduled to be completed in May 200l, but due to some changes in mine design it will take some more time. Exploitable coal reserve of Barapukuria is 64 million ton and annual production has been estimated to be I million ton A power station will be set up with a capacity of 300 MW using this coal.

BHP Minerals have discovered the Phulbari coalfield in January 1997. The right has later been transferred to an Australian company, Asia Energy Corporation (AEC), to develop the mine. AEC is now working for a detailed feasibility study for open-pit mine development whose initial annual production will be 2.9 million ton that will later be 9 million ton. Coal imported from India, China, and Indonesia is mainly consumed in brickfields both in public and private sectors, and in small industries.

White Clay:

 White Clay occurs in Sherpur, Netrokona, Dinajpur and Chittagong district etc. and it is used to make crockery’s, sanitary materials, insulator and tiles.in addition, it is also used in Paper, cement and sugar industries. There are surface to near surface deposits of white clay in Bijoypur and Gopalpur area of Netrokona district, Nalitabari of Sherpur district, Haidgaon of Chittagong district and BaitulIzzat of Satkaniaupazila, Chittagong district. Besides, there are subsurface deposits of white clay in Maddhyapara, Barapukuria, Dighipara of Dinajpur district and Patnitala of Naogaon district. The showing white clay is not good in quality that is used in the ceramic factories of Bangladesh after mixing with high quality imported clay.

         White clay, Netrokona

Glass sand:

Important deposits of glass sand of the country are at Balijuri (0.64 million ton), Shahjibazar (1.41 million ton) and Chauddagram (0.285 million ton) at or near the surface, Maddhyapara (17.25 million ton) and Barapukuria (90.0 million ton) below the surface. Glass sands consist of fine to medium, yellow to grey quartz. Total deposit is about 109.58 M ton. Glass sand is used to make crockery’s, lenses, glass sheet of windows and doors. It is further used to make quartz clock, frame of boat and aero plane, foam glass and in various electronic equipments etc. Silicon chips are also made from silica, which is a main ingredient of glass.

There are two types of glass sand according to geological status.

1.     Recent piedmont alluvium in the eastern zone.

2.      Underground glass sand in the northern zone.

.

   Glass sand, Comilla (Chauddagram)

Limestone:

It occurs in Sunamgonj, Takergat, Jahanpur, Paranagor, Joypurhat and St. Martin’s Islands. Limestone is a very important mineral resource for Bangladesh. It is primarily used in cement industry. Limestone is used to make lime and cement and in paper, Ispat, sugar, glass industry. It is also used to decorate the building In Bangladesh limestone is found in Taker Ghat, Lalghat and Bangli Bazar of sylhet area, Jaypurhat and Saint-mertine of Cox’s Bazar district. The lime stone of Takerghat limestone mining project is supplied to Chattak Cement Factory. In the early 1960s, a quarry of limestone of Eocene age with a small reserve at Takerghat in the north eastern part of the country started supplying raw materials to a cement factory.

In 1960s GSB discovered a new limestone deposit in Joypurhat at a depth of about 515-541m below the surface with a total reserve of 100 million ton. In the mid 1990s GSB discovered limestone deposit at a depth of 493-508 and 531-548m below the surface at Jahanpur and Paranagar of Naogaon respectively. Thickness of these deposits is 16.76m and 14.32m respectively.

Ilmenite, Garnet, Zircon, Kyanite, Magnetite, Rutile, Leucoxine, Monazite:

All these are found in Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf Beach, Kuakata Beach , Moheshkhali, Nijhum dwip, Kutubdia and Monpura Island. Ilmenite, Rutile and Leucoxine are used to make slag and in welding and in melting of metal. They are used as a dyeing subject and Refractory Brick. Ilmenite is used to make sand blasting and heavy mud as an alternative to Barite in drilling activities. Titanium metal, which is derived from this mineral, is used to make frame of aeroplane, missile, and in chemical reaction and salt removal process. Zircon is used to make foundry sand, Refractory brick and as a dyeing substance. Zirconium is used as a radioactive substance.Monazite is used to make catalyst, television tube, refractory substance, thermal insulator substance and in computer disk and line printer.

Peat:

Deposits of peat occur at shallow depths in different low-lying areas of Bangladesh like Gopalganj, Madaripur, Khulna, Sylhet and Sunamganj district etc. the reserve of dry peat is about 170 million tons. In 1953, a large scale of peat was discovered at Baghia-Chanda Bil in Faridpur and at Kola Monja in Khulna. The major deposits are in greater in the districts of Faridpur (150 million tons), Khulna (8 million tons). Peat requires drying before making briquettes for use as fuel. It is used as an alternative fuel to household, in brick and lime industries and in thermal power plant, and it requires drying before making briquettes for use as fuel. Petrobangla implemented a pilot project for extraction of peat and making briquettes but the result were discouraging and not economically feasible at current stage.

Peat

Table Peat deposits and quality

Source Asian Mining Year Book (Seventh Edition), 2001

Hard Rock:

It occurs at Maddyapara in Dinajpur district and has been discovered by GSB (Geological Survey of Bangladesh) at depth 132-160 m below the surface. The Rock Quality Designation (RQD) of fresh rock varies from 60% to 100%. The Maddhayapara project is extended over a wide range of area, from Baborgonj and Mithapukur of Rangpur district to Fulbari and Parbatipur of Dinajpur district and its capacity to recover 1.65 million ton hardrock every year.  It is used in construction such as road, highway, and railway track, regulator dam, river training, and river bank erosion. It is also used as construction material and as mosaic stone

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Hard Rock, Dinajpur

Gravel Deposit:

Deposits of gravel are found along the piedmont area of Himalyas in the northern boundary of Bangladesh. It occurs in Lalmonirhat, Panchagar, Sylhet district, Greater Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts. These river borne gravels come from the upstream during the rainy season. It is used to construct buildings, road, railway, bridge and in river training and flood control. A total reserve of gravel is about 10 million cubic meters.

Metallic minerals:

GSB has carried out investigation for mineral deposits and succeeded in locating a few potential zones. Relatively high content of metallic minerals like chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, covelline, galena, sphaleriteetc have been found in the core samples from the north-western region of the country.

Construction Sand:

It is very much available in the river beds through out the country. Sand consists mostly of quartz of medium to large grains. It is extensively used as construction materials for buildings, bridge, roads all over the country.

Beach Sand:

This may be potential source in the future.  Deposits of beach sand have been identified in the coastal belt, and in the coastal island in Bangladesh. Deposits of beach sand have been identified in the coastal belt and in the coastal islands of Bangladesh. Different heavy minerals and their reserves (in ton) are: Zircon (158,117), Rutile (70,274), Ilmenite (1,025,558), Leucoxene (96,709), Kyanite (90,745), Garnet (222,761), Magnetite (80,599) and Monazite (17,352). An Australian company has applied for the permission to carry out the feasibility study for exploitation

Brick Clay:

In Bangladesh the mineralogical, chemical and engineering properties of Pleistocene and Holocene brick clays of Dhaka, Narayanganj and Narsingdi districts are well documented. The bulk chemistry and engineering properties of the Holocene and Pleistocene samples have been found satisfactory for manufacturing good quality bricks. These are being exploited and widely used in the country.

Black Gold:

Black gold is a very valuable mineral resource. Among it, the main are zircon, monazite, riotile etc. It is discovered in Cox’s Bazar sea beach.

Name of the Mineral	Place	Estimated Reserve (Probable) (million ton)	District	Remarks
Coal	#Jamalganj #Barapukuria #Khalashpir Dighipara	1053 300* 143 150	Joypurhat Dinajpur Rangpur Dinajpur	#Development of Barapukuria Coal field is going on. Discovered in July/, 1995.
Peat	Baggie Chanda Kolamouza Chatalbil Paula, Sunamganj Moulavibazar	150 8 6.21 3.50 3.00	Gopalganj Khulna Sunamganj	Instead of fuel wood may be used as fuel.
Limestone	Jaypurhat Bagalibazar #Takerghat Lalghat Naogaon	100 17 12.9 12.9 --	Jaypurhat Sunamganj Sunamganj Sunamganj Naogaon	#612371 tons of limestone from Takerghat have been exploited During 1972-93
White clay	Barapukuria #Bijoypur Maddyapara Dighipara Patnitala	25 25 ** **	Dinajpur Netrakona Dinajpur Dinajpur Naogaon	#109541 tons of whit clay from Bijoypur have Been exploited during 1972-93
Glass sand	Barapukuria Maddyapara Bhatera Shahajibzar & Bahubal #Chaddagram Baljiuri Dighipara	90 17.25 8 .30 .17 **	Dinajpur Dinajpur Moulvibazar Habiganj Comilla Sherpur Dinajpur	#94773 tons of glass sand have been exploited during 1975-93.
Hard rock	Maddyapara	115 (Exploited)	Dinajpur	Mine development activities is going on.
Gravel deposit	Bholaganj Tetulia Patgram Chittagong Hill Tract	4 2.5 2.5 1.00	Sunamgaj Pachagarh Lalmonirhat Chittagong	Gravel deposits are being exploited from different places of the country.
Mineral sand	Sea beach of Cox's Bazar, Moheshkali, Kutubdia and Kuakatha.	--

 *Reserves are in million tones except that of gravel which is in million cubic metre.
**Reserves have not yet been estimated.