The interim government of Bangladesh led by Mohammad Yunus has reportedly decided to stop export of Hilsa fish to India to meet domestic demand. This order by the Yunus government has ended the healthy tradition started by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Hasina government used to send consignments of Padma Hilsa fish to India every year between August and October as a goodwill gesture. With this consignment, Bangla bhadralok used to enjoy delicious Padmar Ilish (Hilsa is called Ilish in Bengal) during festive seasons like Dussehra, which may be difficult this time and may cost more.
According to a report in the Bangladeshi newspaper Dhaka Tribune, Farida Akhtar, an advisor to Bangladesh’s Fisheries and Livestock Ministry, confirmed the ban on the export of ilish to India and said that the government has imposed this ban to ensure adequate supply for local consumers. Akhtar has reportedly stressed that the export ban is aimed at controlling domestic prices and ensuring that hilsa fish is easily available even to low-income families in Bangladesh.
However, despite the Bangladeshi ban, Hilsa fish has found an alternative way to reach Indian markets and may possibly be available in Bengal’s markets during Durga Puja, but Bengali Bhadralok may have to pay a higher price for it. Let us tell you that Bengali people like to eat Ilish with Khichdi just before Durga Puja in October. In view of this, the military-backed interim government of Bangladesh has banned the export of this precious fish to India. There was a long-standing tradition of sending Ilish from Bangladesh at this time.
The consumption and demand of Hilsa fish is constantly increasing. Due to this, its price is skyrocketing. In view of this, the Bangladesh government had imposed a general ban on the export of Hilsa from 2012 to 2020, but even at that time the Sheikh Hasina government had kept India out of this ban and every year before the festive season, its consignment has been reaching India from Dhaka.
Bangladesh produces about 70% of the world’s ilish, which has been a matter of national pride for it. Ilish is also the national fish of Bangladesh. Since 2012, Bangladesh had banned the export of ilish due to disputes over the Teesta River water-sharing agreement, but Sheikh Hasina continued to facilitate exports as the ban had led to a sharp rise in ilish prices in Indian markets and increased smuggling across the India-Bangladesh border. The Hasina government later lifted the ban in 2022. According to The Telegraph, “The price of a kilogram of hilsa fell to 1,600 taka for a short time last month but now again a kilogram of hilsa is selling at 1,800-1,900 taka.”
