RAJSHAHI, Aug 24, 2022 (BSS)- An environment-friendly fish market has been
launched here for the first time on Tuesday aimed at selling hygienic and
harmful elements-free fishes.

Established at Kharkhari Bazar under Paba upazila in the district, the market
is now in operation for public use, especially for environment-friendly fish
farmers, in the region.

On behalf of its 'Sustainable Enterprise Project (SEP)', Ashrai, a non-
government development organization, built the market financially supported
by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and the World Bank.  

Ashrai Executive Director Professor Ahsan Ali and Senior Upazila Fisheries
Officer Muhammad Asaduzzaman addressed the opening ceremony as chief and
special guests respectively.

SEP Project Manager Anwar Hossain, Environment Officer Arafat Islam,
Documentation Officer Syed Tanvir Islam and Technical Officer Saad Ahmad also
spoke on the occasion.

Professor Ahsan Ali told the ceremony that the fish market will remain on
functioning every day coping with the gradually rising yield of fish together
with expanding its capacity to deal around 50 to 60 tons daily.

Various need-based physical infrastructures, including an overhead shed and
bottom platform in 12 rooms, hygienic Toilet and dustbin for waste management
were developed.

Drainage system and water supply facility were improved in addition to
refurbishment of market shops and re-construction of 15 fish preservation
tanks.

Fish farmers and traders were given different kinds of amenities, including
digital meters for measuring, personal protection equipment for personal
safety, easy access and ice for preservation, toilets for maintaining
hygienic and postharvest safe management.

The fish market has also been enriched with LED lights and facilities like
washrooms; granite stands for fish-carrying vehicles, storage rooms and a
stockiest room.

Prof Ahsan opined that the infrastructural installations will infuse dynamism
into activities of around 10 thousand fish farmers in the region in terms of
environment-friendly fish farming.

Apart from this, the promotional activities inspire the target group of
people towards transportation of live and safe fish food to the consumers'
level.

As a whole, the project is intended to build an environmentally friendly fish
farming industry and improve the lives of fish farmers by creating a large
marketplace of their production in the context of international standards.