No hilsa fish from Bangladesh this Durga Puja as new government ends Sheik Hasina's 'hilsa diplomacy'
Prices of the hilsa fish, which is very popular in West Bengal and some other parts of India, are expected to go up by as much as Rs 2,200-2,400 per kg in the coming days. This is because India's biggest source of hilsa supply, Bangladesh, has decided not to export the popular fish to India.
Hilsa fish production in Bangladesh
This is particularly bad news as hilsa dishes are a staple of Bengali cuisine, especially during the Durga Puja festival. Hilsa, also known as Padma hilsa, is the national fish of Bangladesh, and the country produces around 70 per cent of the world's supply.?In 2012, Bangladesh had banned the export of the fish, citing a shortage of supply.?
Bangladesh resumed hilsa export to India in 2019
However, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made an exemption for India in 2019 and allowed the export of 500 metric tonnes of Padma hilsa to India, which increased to 1,850 metric tonnes in 2020.
The consignment of hilsa from Bangladesh used to reach India ahead of the Durga Puja festival, when it was in high demand.
This was often referred to as Hasina's 'hilsa diplomacy', but it has now come to an end with her ouster from power last month. The interim government in Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, has decided not to export the fish, also known as ilish, in Bengali to India.
Also read:?Bangladesh crisis: What will happen to the special consignments of hilsa fish to India?
'Can't export when there is less supply'
Farida Akhter, the advisor to the Bangladesh Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, confirmed that the government has imposed a ban to ensure sufficient supply for local consumers.
"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 told the Dhaka Tribune.
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