Freight Costs for Fish Rise in Mymensingh

Large quantities of fish are transported daily from Mymensingh to the capital Dhaka and other markets across Bangladesh. However, rising fuel prices and supply constraints have led to an increase in the transport cost of fish-carrying trucks, with stakeholders warning of potential impacts on the local fish market.

According to the revised fuel pricing structure, effective from last Sunday, diesel has increased from Tk 100 to Tk 115 per litre. Kerosene has risen from Tk 112 to Tk 130, octane from Tk 120 to Tk 140, and petrol from Tk 116 to Tk 135 per litre.

Revised Fuel Prices

Data from the District Fisheries Office shows that Mymensingh produced a record 418,645 tonnes of fish in the 2024–25 financial year, accounting for approximately 12 per cent of national production. The output came from 33,460 hectares of water bodies across the district. Based on an average price of Tk 300 per kilogram, the total estimated market value of production stands at around Tk 1,256 billion. The upazilas of Bhaluka and Trishal have been identified as leading contributors to production.

On Monday morning at 08:59 am, seven fish-laden trucks were observed lined up in front of Kazir Shimla High School in Trishal upazila along the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway. These vehicles were en route to wholesale markets in Dhaka, including Jatrabari and Karwan Bazar.

Truck driver Dulal Mia stated that prior to recent disruptions, the fare for transporting fish to Jatrabari or Karwan Bazar ranged between Tk 8,000 and Tk 10,000 per trip. He added that due to difficulties in obtaining fuel, including long queues at filling stations, the fare has now increased to Tk 11,000. He further stated that in some cases fuel is not available even after waiting in line, and that prices had increased by Tk 15 per litre the previous day. According to him, transport fares will require a further increase of at least Tk 1,000.

Another driver, Suman Mia from Nurur Dokan area of Trishal, who has been in the profession for approximately 15 years, explained that fish is loaded in the afternoon and transported to Dhaka in the evening, with unloading completed by early morning before returning. He reported long waiting times at fuel stations and additional informal costs of Tk 200–300 per fuel purchase. He added that fuel price increases have raised per-trip costs by Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,500, and that revised fares will be implemented from the following day.

Veteran driver Md Mostafa from Churkhai in Mymensingh city noted that approximately 70 litres of diesel are required for a trip from Mymensingh to Karwan Bazar. He stated that under the revised fuel prices, this results in an additional cost of over Tk 1,000 per trip, necessitating an adjustment in transport fares.

Fish trader Mosharraf Hossain of Sadik Matsya House in Trishal supplies fish to Karwan Bazar, Jatrabari, Rampura, Gabtoli, and Narayanganj markets. He stated that seven truckloads of fish were dispatched to Dhaka the previous day. He further noted that truck owners have proposed fare increases following the rise in fuel prices, and that discussions are scheduled to ensure fair adjustments for both transport operators and traders. He also observed that increased transport costs are likely to affect retail fish prices, requiring coordinated measures in procurement and sales.