The Department of Fisheries (DoF) is providing technical support to fish farmers to encourage them to cultivate new varieties of fish in Kaliganj upazila.

Momrej Ali Biswas, a fish farmer of Nischintapur village, said he started Pabda farming on a 25-decimal (1 decimal = 435.6 square feet) waterbody in 2018 with financial and technical support from the local DoF. He has earned Tk 30,000 thousand as net profit.

Witnessing this significant profit, the farmer has now expanded the farming on a six-hectare waterbody at Teltupi village in the same upazila.

The fish farmer said he released three lakh Pabda prawns into the waterbody. He also released 6,000 carp prawns during that time. In December last, he harvested 12 tones of mature pabda and sold them for Tk 45 lakh.

He is expecting another Tk 10 lakh from the carps within a few weeks.

The fish farming is going to ensure him Tk 15 lakh a year, excluding all expenses.

According to the farmer, the pabda is usually sold for Tk. 300–350 a kg.

Kaliganj upazila fisheries officer Saidur Rahman Reza said they provided initial support to Momrej Ali Biswas under the 'Greater Jashore Fish Development Project' in FY2017-18. The project was aimed at rearing varieties of koi, puti, pabda, royna, tengra, and some other fish.