Fish Importers Association of India have requested the government of Bangladesh to send hilsa fish to India amid uncertainty over the shipments of hilsa this year due to a changed political situation in Bangladesh.
India's West Bengal, Tripura and Assam states used to get hilsa from the first week of September before Durga Puja festival for the last five years. Last year, Bangladesh shipped 1,300 tonnes of hilsa fish to different states of India.
The adviser to the ministry of fisheries and livestock, Farida Akhter, said on August 11 that the government will allow export of hilsa after meeting the demand of the countrymen.
In this circumstance, the Fish Importers Association of India sent a request to Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain to allow the exports of hilsa fish to India following the trend of previous years.
Days earlier Farida Akhter, in a statement to the media, emphasising the need to ensure sufficient supply for the domestic market. Bangladesh, which produces 70-80% of the world's Hilsa, faces the challenge of maintaining this national treasure.
"We cannot allow ilish to be exported while our own people cannot buy them. This year, I have instructed the Ministry of Commerce to prevent any ilish exports to India during Durga Puja," Akhter said last week.
"Protecting ilish breeding grounds and sanctuaries is crucial. Without proper management, production will suffer," she warned, highlighting the importance of sustainable practices.
Akhter also indicated that stricter measures would be enforced to curb the illegal smuggling of Hilsa, particularly across the border to India.
It must be noted that there is no official order regarding a ban on the export of the Hilsa fish so far. According to some reports, the interim government in Bangladesh might take this decision to halt the exports due to the anti-India sentiment in the country while its ousted premier Sheikh Hasina continues to be in India after she was forced to flee Dhaka.
Bangladeshi Hilsa, especially from the Padma River, holds a special place in Bengali cuisine in, with dishes like Hilsa and khichdi common to the Durga Puja celebrations, in West Bengal.
Despite other Hilsa-exporting countries in the region, including Myanmar, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Thailand, and domestic production in states like Gujarat and Maharashtra, Bangladeshi Hilsa remains highly sought after.
