Baliadangi (Thakurgaon) Correspondent:

Like every year, this year too, the traditional fishing festival has begun at the Buri dam of the Shuk river in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila. As soon as the news of the arrival of winter was received, thousands of people from Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and Dinajpur districts have gathered to join the festival. This is no longer just a fishing event, but has become a joyful gathering of the people of these three districts of North Bengal.

Since early morning on Saturday (October 18), people have come down to this dam area on the border of Akcha and Chilarang unions in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila with various fishing equipment including pole, gill net, key net, and push net. As soon as the water in the dam receded, a fishing competition began. Many people also participated in fishing on rafts or small boats. An eager crowd gathered on both sides of the dam to see this scene of fishing. A fair has been set up on both banks of the dam to celebrate this fishing festival. Shopkeepers have set up stalls of various toys and delicious food for children across the fair grounds.

However, the festive atmosphere is not limited to the banks of the dam. Every house around the Buri dam is now in a state of joy. Relatives and friends from different places come to visit during this time. In the villages, it is the turn of the house to serve and entertain them.

Local residents said that this festival is not just a fishing event for them, but rather an occasion for social reunion. According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (Pawbo), the Buri Dam Irrigation Project was undertaken on the Shuk River in 1951-52 to provide irrigation facilities to agricultural land during the dry season. Later, it came to be known as the sluice gate.

Water is retained in this sluice gate throughout the year and the Department of Fisheries releases the fry of various varieties of native fish here. The concerned Union Parishad (Akcha and Chilarang UP) takes care of this area spread over about 50 acres known as a fish sanctuary. Although fishing is prohibited here throughout the year, every year at the beginning of the month of Kartik, after the dam water is released for irrigation, it is opened to everyone. And since then, this festival has started. Thousands of people come to fish in the water of Buri dam. Various species of indigenous fish including shoal, bowal, baim, shing, tangra, puti, taki, khalse, mala, shrimp are usually found in the water.

However, some fishermen have also expressed disappointment. They allege that some unscrupulous people have already trapped the fish using ring nets and current nets, due to which the common people are not getting the expected amount of fish. However, despite these complaints, there is no decrease in the festive atmosphere. Various species of native fish including shoal, bowal, baim, shing, tangra, puti, taki, khalse, mala, shrimp are usually found in the water of Burir Dam. Thakurgaon Water Development Board Executive Engineer Md. Golam Zakaria said that this traditional fishing festival is going on smoothly.

Burir Dam in Thakurgaon has now become a major entertainment and social communication center for the people of North Bengal, focusing on fishing.

Baliadangi (Thakurgaon) Correspondent:

Like every year, this year too, the traditional fishing festival has begun at the Buri dam of the Shuk river in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila. As soon as the news of the arrival of winter was received, thousands of people from Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and Dinajpur districts have gathered to join the festival. This is no longer just a fishing event, but has become a joyful gathering of the people of these three districts of North Bengal.

Since early morning on Saturday (October 18), people have come down to this dam area on the border of Akcha and Chilarang unions in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila with various fishing equipment including pole, gill net, key net, and push net. As soon as the water in the dam receded, a fishing competition began. Many people also participated in fishing on rafts or small boats. An eager crowd gathered on both sides of the dam to see this scene of fishing. A fair has been set up on both banks of the dam to celebrate this fishing festival. Shopkeepers have set up stalls of various toys and delicious food for children across the fair grounds.

However, the festive atmosphere is not limited to the banks of the dam. Every house around the Buri dam is now in a state of joy. Relatives and friends from different places come to visit during this time. In the villages, it is the turn of the house to serve and entertain them.

Local residents said that this festival is not just a fishing event for them, but rather an occasion for social reunion. According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (Pawbo), the Buri Dam Irrigation Project was undertaken on the Shuk River in 1951-52 to provide irrigation facilities to agricultural land during the dry season. Later, it came to be known as the sluice gate.

Water is retained in this sluice gate throughout the year and the Department of Fisheries releases the fry of various varieties of native fish here. The concerned Union Parishad (Akcha and Chilarang UP) takes care of this area spread over about 50 acres known as a fish sanctuary. Although fishing is prohibited here throughout the year, every year at the beginning of the month of Kartik, after the dam water is released for irrigation, it is opened to everyone. And since then, this festival has started. Thousands of people come to fish in the water of Buri dam. Various species of indigenous fish including shoal, bowal, baim, shing, tangra, puti, taki, khalse, mala, shrimp are usually found in the water.

However, some fishermen have also expressed disappointment. They allege that some unscrupulous people have already trapped the fish using ring nets and current nets, due to which the common people are not getting the expected amount of fish. However, despite these complaints, there is no decrease in the festive atmosphere. Various species of native fish including shoal, bowal, baim, shing, tangra, puti, taki, khalse, mala, shrimp are usually found in the water of Burir Dam. Thakurgaon Water Development Board Executive Engineer Md. Golam Zakaria said that this traditional fishing festival is going on smoothly.

Burir Dam in Thakurgaon has now become a major entertainment and social communication center for the people of North Bengal, focusing on fishing.