Socio-economic aspects of fisher communities in Kafrikhal Beel under Mithapukur Upazila, Rangpur, Bangladesh

Abstract

The survey was conducted to determine the socio-economic aspects of fisher communities in Kafrikhal beel under Mithapukur Upazila, of Rangpur district, Bangladesh. Data were collected from 80 fisher communities for a period of six months from January to June, 2014. It was found that fishing were the main occupation of the studied area where the literacy rate has been very low. Most of the fisher communities have been 25 to 34 years old. The income of fisher communities had been 40,000 to 60,000 Tk./year. The prime causes for the poor socioeconomic condition for the fisher communities were decreasing to catch fishes, lack of capital, inadequate credit, lack of appropriate gears, lack of training facilities, lower child education facilities, lack of electricity facilities, instability in the price of fishes and natural calamities. It was reported that, about 17 % fisher communities had been shifted to agriculture during banned periods of fishing.