Challenges Faced by Entrepreneurial Fishermen Communities in Bangladesh: Realities from the Ground

Abstract

In Bangladesh, there are more than 30 indigenous fishing communities who depend on fishing as their chief sources of livelihood. In the past, they faced no problems for accessing the open water bodies. During the last few decades, due to siltation of rivers, wetlands, involvement of non-indigenous fishermen in fishing, lack of appropriate entrepreneurship development policies, indigenous fishermen are shifting their traditional occupations at an alarming rate and facing a very measurable economic condition. Based on sample surveys (250 respondents), focus group discussion and case studies among the five fishermen communities, this article has been prepared.