In Bangladesh, there are many 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. But during the last few decades, due to marketing issues, siltation of rivers, and wetlands, involvement of non-indigenous fishermen in fishing, indigenous fishermen are shifting their traditional occupations at an alarming rate and are facing a very miserable economic condition. The gradual but definite extinction of such indegenous communities is a great loss to the country. 250 respondents from the Bagdi, Rajbangshi, Malo, Julla and Barman fishermen communities were selected randomly. Siltation of rivers, canals and wetlands, difficulties arising from influential or non fishermen for taking lease of open water bodies from the government, lack of friendly institution of financial support are the main challenges for the indigenous fishermen communities.

Key Words: Poverty, Fishermen community, Livelihoods, and Marketing.