A giant Poa fish, weighing nearly 20 kg, was caught in a fisherman’s net off the coast of Baharchhara in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, and sold for over one lakh taka.
On Thursday afternoon, local businessman Abdul Amin purchased the fish for Tk1,05,000 at Jahajpura ghat in Baharchhara market.
Fisherman Mohammad Babu said they went out to sea in the morning as usual. “After casting the net, along with other fish, this enormous poa fish got caught. When we hauled the net, we realized something unusually heavy was inside. Later, we saw a giant poa fish. Such large catches are extremely rare,” he said.
Babu added that they initially set a price of Tk1.5 lakh for the fish but finalized the deal at Tk1,05,000. “Catching such a big fish brings joy to the fishermen. Despite the risky life at sea, moments like these put smiles on our faces,” he said.
Highlighting the fish’s high demand, he noted, “There is always demand for large Poa fish. Its air bladder, known as a biothly, is exported abroad to make high-quality surgical sutures, which drives the price up significantly.”
Teknaf Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Md Delwar Hossain said, “The high value of the Poa fish is due to its air bladder. It is used to produce fine surgical threads for operations, which are highly sought after in international markets.
Occasionally, such valuable fish are caught in the nets of local fishermen. It is one of the most prized marine species in Bangladesh.”
Local fishermen explained that large Poa fish usually roam in the deep waters of the Bay of Bengal. Catching them is relatively difficult and risky, making their capture a symbol of good fortune for fishers.
Businessman Abdul Amin said he plans to sell the fish again in the local market for a modest profit. News of the catch at Baharchhara ghat attracted crowds of locals eager to see the fish, with many taking photos and sharing them on social media.
