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A mosque committee has leased a person a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the Gohala River at Ullapara upazila in Sirajganj district, raising concerns that the livelihoods of more than a hundred fishermen in the area would be affected.

Local resident Yusuf Ali Molla secured the lease for Tk 1.62 lakh as the highest bidder at a public auction held at Uduniya Bazar at the upazila on October 2.

Officials of the local administration, however, termed the lease illegal.

Upazila fisheries officer Ataur Rahman said, ‘A mosque committee has no authority to lease a river. We will investigate the matter.’

Ullapara upazila nirbahi officer Abu Saleh Mohammad Hasnat said, ‘Rivers are state properties. No individual or committee has the right to lease them. Legal action will be taken against those involved.’

Earlier, the Uduniya Bazar Jame Mosque committee had invited people to join the tender through announcements made over the PA system.

According to the mosque committee’s decision, from the Bangla month of Ashwin until Chaitra, no one except the leaseholder will be allowed to catch fish in the leased portion of the river. If anyone other than the leaseholder wishes to fish there, they must pay the leaseholder.

Due to such a decision, more than a hundred professional and small fishermen’s rights to catch fish in the river will be affected.

The Gohala River is about 28 kilometres long and 93 metres wide. For generations, local fishermen have relied on fishing in the river for their livelihoods.

Abdus Salam, a fisherman from Uduniya village, said, ‘I have been fishing in this river for 40 years. Never before have I heard of a leasing system. Now, unless we pay the leaseholder Tk 10,000 to Tk 15,000, we will not be allowed to cast our nets.’

Abdul Hamid, vice-president of the Uduniya Jame Mosque committee, said, ‘The lease was given to raise funds for mosque development. However, fishermen are free to fish outside the designated 2.5km stretch.’

Sirajganj deputy commissioner Muhammad Nazrul Islam said, ‘There is no provision in law for leasing rivers. The matter is under review.’