Fish farmer Abul Bashar Khan, 40. Photo: BSS

By S M Zahid Hossain

KHULNA, March 13, 2026 (BSS) - Fish farmer Abul Bashar Khan, 40, of Panigati village in Dighalia upazila of Khulna has become an inspiring example for local people after achieving success through cluster-based fish farming.

Once a small grocery shop owner struggling to support his family, Bashar has now built a self-reliant life through hard work, proper planning and modern aquaculture practices.

Locals said that seven to eight years ago Bashar used to run a small grocery shop but the income was not sufficient to maintain his four-member family comprising his wife, a son and a daughter. Financial hardship remained a constant challenge for the family.

Later, he decided to leave the business and venture into fish farming.

Initially, Bashar started fish cultivation on about 145 decimals of land using the cluster method. At present, in addition to the cluster enclosure, he owns nearly 10 more fish enclosures.

Various species of fish including rohu, catla and mrigal along with shrimp are being cultivated in mixed culture in his ponds. The fish generally take around four months to reach marketable size.

Talking to BSS, Bashar said he released fish fry worth about Tk 1.5 lakh in the current season and expects to sell fish worth at least Tk 8 lakh through proper management and care.

"Earlier it was difficult to run my family through the grocery shop. After starting fish farming our financial condition has improved and now I can easily bear the expenses of my family and my children's education," he said.

According to the local fisheries office, many farmers in Dighalia upazila are now turning to the cluster method of fish farming. Under the system, several farmers jointly use ponds or enclosures and conduct fish farming in a coordinated manner, which helps increase production while reducing costs.

Senior Fisheries Officer of Dighalia upazila Snigdha Khan Bably told BSS that the cluster method makes feed management, care and disease control easier and also helps ensure better production and marketing.

Other fish farmers in the Panigati area, including Hasan, Shaheen, Murtoza and Bijoy, said many people are now seeking advice from Bashar after witnessing his success and are becoming interested in adopting the method.