FISHERIES COMMUNITY IN BANGLADESH Fisheries play an important role in Bangladesh's food, nutrition, employment and export earnings. About 3.58% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) is derived from this sector and about 1.4 million people are engaged in full-time fishing. In addition, according to the statistics of the financial year 2007-08, 4.9% of the total export income of the country came from the export of fisheries resources. In fact, since time immemorial, a significant number of people in this country have been relying mainly on fishing and related occupations for their livelihood. Fishermen in rural Bangladesh usually live in small groups in a riverine area in a specific neighborhood or village or in different villages, for generations. Apart from fishing or marketing, co-operative living in different spheres of social life is a unique feature of the ancient tradition of fishermen. As fishermen have a history, they also have a diverse tradition and daily life in a natural style. Traditionally, the fishermen of Bangladesh are followers of Hinduism. WW Hunter, after reviewing the 182 census report, concluded that the Muslims of this country were more closely associated with the land than the Hindus; Even when they were unemployed in agriculture, they did not participate in activities like fishing, boating and building houses for extra income. In the case of Hindus, the profession of fishing is related to caste system, so it is determined by birth and is unchangeable. For this reason, fishermen, despite being inferior to other professionals in the religious system of caste system, consider their profession sacred due to the infallible provision of duties and responsibilities. At present, there is a tendency among the Muslim people to take up this profession. But like the Hindus, the profession of the Muslims is not born or sacred, but the change of profession is open to all of them. Although there are religious ideological differences between Hindu and Muslim fishermen in this country, there are some common features between them. They both deal with their confidence as they choose to embark on their play activities. Attempts have been made in Bangladesh to categorize the people engaged in fishing or related occupations in different ways. In different parts of the country, Hindu fishermen are known by different distinct ethnic identities. Kiran Chandra Dey mentions the presence of 23 different castes among Hindu fishermen in East Bengal and Assam. These are Kaivarta Kiwat, Karita, Tiwar or Rajbangshi, Mas, Shikari, Malo or Jhalo, Namasudra or Chandal, Berua, Giani, Karal, Pod, Binda or Bindu Bagdi, Patni, Nadial, Mali, Hari, Gonri, Bonpar, Gangata, Murari, Surahiya and Lohait. Although there is a general reluctance among the Muslims of this country to take up fishing as a profession on the planet, there is a tendency among them to get involved in the marketing of fish in the early twentieth century. An exceptional attempt is made to identify the Muslims who used to participate in fishing and related occupations as a separate group from those engaged in other occupations of the society. Muslims engaged in fishing or related occupations also have different social identities in different parts of the country. These are Mahifarosh or Mahimal (Persian word Mahi means fish, and Farosh means seller), Dalaitya, Nikari Gutia, Jale, Giani, Dhawa, Abdal and Bebajia. From ancient times the fishing community of Bangladesh has been dependent on fishing and farming for their livelihood. Although most of the fishing families are mainly dependent on fishing, they also engage in agriculture. Their production techniques are kind of outdated. In most cases, inland water fishermen use unmanned domestic boats and conventional nets. However, seafaring fishermen use motorized boats and modern nets. Ownership of fishing equipment is not collective but private. However, in the case of fishing, they rely on both private and joint ventures. Owners use their materials on their own initiative or in partnership with others. Close relatives are usually preferred as partners in joint management. However, if there is a lack of close relatives, neighbors, friends and other members of the village are also included in the group. Hindu fishermen do not involve people outside their community in the process of group recruitment. Fishermen's income varies from season to season and from season to season. Fishermen's income also increases as fish production is higher in the dry season than in the dry season. Again in the same season fishing and income are different. Income inequality reflects the fact that they are not usually of the same age group. In fact, it goes without saying that they do not have the capacity and potential to develop their own situation. They are entangled in a kind of interest-free loan relationship with money lenders or warehouse keepers where these middlemen cheat the fishermen by manipulating their weight or market value. In addition to fishing, fishermen participate in a number of non-fishing economic activities such as agriculture, day labor, al and mat making, from which they can earn some extra income. Fisherman's life is a unique one that focuses on rivers, boats, nets, sailors, fishing and marketing. A culture emerges that is entirely their own. They are very aware of their cultural dhaka and uniqueness. Just as they have great confidence in their own rules of living, they also have a deep faith in the validity of the general values of daily life. They give special importance to kinship in different spheres of social and economic life. One of their hopes is for the happiness, sorrow and crisis of social life. Even when working on the river, members of the clan are much more reliant on any kind of uncertainty than others. Among the long cultural traditions of fishermen are some common beliefs and values which have been integrated in various aspects of their livelihood especially in organizing rituals and festivals. Since they are entrusted with the sacred duty of serving the Hindu people, any deviation from their profession is a kind of iniquity and sin. Therefore, based on such religious beliefs, a tradition of various rituals has developed among them. They worship the Ganges to increase fishing and conduct activities on the river without danger. On the other hand, Muslim fishermen do not consider fishing from a religious point of view, but they are engaged in achieving certainty and success in their professional life by observing various religious rituals. In particular, for floating boats in the river and for success in fishing or marketing activities, religious prayers, milad mahfils are organized, shini or vows or donations are made at the dargah. In keeping with the social and economic working environment, fishermen have developed a variety of stories and tales, folklore and folk songs, riddles and jokes, journeys and ballads, highlighting the aesthetic beauty of their own cultural heritage. By singing different types of folk songs like Palligiti, Baul, Bhatiali, Jari, Sari songs, they get new motivation as they get emotional satisfaction in their daily work. Just as there is rhythm and rhythm in these folk music, there is also a kind of folk composition in which their subjects are collected from various aspects of daily life. In fact, all these elements of the cultural heritage have strengthened their unity and solidarity in such a way as to symbolize them as a separate entity from others. Fishermen of Bangladesh have been in a low position in terms of social status since time immemorial. Chandimangal of poet Mukundaram. On the basis of the poem, JN Dasgupta has identified the fishermen as an oppressed people in determining the ups and downs of various professional groups in rural Bengal in the sixteenth century. In this case, AKN Karim is of the opinion that since hunting and fishing are very ancient professions in Bengal, the foreigners who came to this country and established occupation occupied these professions very lowly. In fact, according to the Hindu caste system from ancient times, fishermen have been classified as oppressed. In their research report, the researchers described the Hindu fishing community in Bengal as having a very low level of social status. On the other hand, in the case of Muslims, the issue of high and low is not as obvious as in the case of Hindus, but in the eyes of other professional Muslims, the fishermen are shown as inferior and the fishermen of Nikari etc. are so inferior that any high class Muslim would refrain from associating with them. However, with the recent introduction of export-oriented fisheries economy in the country, the prevailing contempt for Muslim fishermen is gradually disappearing. The simple lifestyle of the fishermen of Bangladesh is gradually changing in different areas. The population is slowly increasing but the fishing grounds are shrinking. As a result, the increasing complexity of livelihoods is disconnecting them from the previous earning system. Modern civic civilization and the aggressive influence of the media are creating the desire to use new consumer goods and gain social benefits. Moreover, the expansion of the export-oriented fisheries economy signals an unprincipled competition among fishermen to increase production, undermining their traditional moral values. In this way, the values are gradually breaking down in the internal tension of the conventional way of life, creating new perceptions and urges to lead a life. The emotional appeal of the long cultural traditions and values of prison life is diminishing due to the multifaceted social and economic pressures of modern civilization. They are becoming increasingly dependent on the national institutional system and the market economy.