STORY: Bangladesh's sea fish trade hub enters fish drying peak season
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 30, 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 7, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:34
LOCATION: COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of fish drying
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Bengali): MD RAFIQ UDDIN, Dry fish trader
3. various of fish drying
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Bengali): MD KAISER, Dry fish trader
5. various of fish drying

STORYLINE:

Fishermen in Bangladesh's southeastern Cox's Bazar district, which is situated along the Bay of Bengal, are now busy drying fish in the traditional way.

In Bangladesh, mid-October to mid-February is the peak fish drying season.

In Cox's Bazar's Nazirar Tek village, the largest dried fish-producing village in the country, thousands have made temporary settlements for fish drying under the sun.

Locally known as "shutki palli," meaning the place where dried fish is produced, Cox's Bazar meets 85 percent of the country's demand.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Bengali): MD RAFIQ UDDIN, Dry fish trader
"Qutubdiapara in Nazira Tech is the number one place of Cox's Bazar Sadar (sub-district). It is the country's largest dry fish hub with more than 40,000 families living there, living on the sea.
We're producing dry fish very well, so that people like to eat it. We are producing dry very well that this dry fish is even exported abroad. This dry fish also sells well in the country. Many tourists come here and buy it. Many shops have been established here."

Locals always try to produce the finest dried fish, said the trader, adding that many shops have been established as tourists flocked here to purchase the products.

Meanwhile, locally-produced dried fish are popular not only in Bangladesh but also in other countries for its high quality and low price.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Bengali): MD KAISER, Dry fish trader
"We do not use chemicals in fish here. The quality of the fish is better in winter, so everyone likes our fish. This dried fish goes to the city. We sell it in Chittagong (Chattogram). We sell it from here."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
(XHTV)