The Bangladesh government has stopped the import of Hilsa, including from India and Myanmar, after cancelling no-objection certificates issued to 103 fish importers, raising concerns among Indian traders that Dhaka may also withhold permission to export the fish to India ahead of Durga Puja.
“In a sudden move the Bangladesh government has stopped the import of Hilsa. We aren’t sure why the permission was withdrawn. They have stopped the import of Hilsa from Myanmar too. “The prime reason behind the export was the huge production of Hilsa in Gujarat. Only the roe-filled fishes are being exported. The consignments reached Howrah and Kolkata, from where they were sent to other parts of the state, including north Bengal. Importers in Kolkata, however, are apprehensive this year that despite their appeals to the Bangladesh government, no Hilsa from Bangladesh may arrive this festive season. Usually, the approval comes in September. Time is running out. Thereafter the ban period on Hilsa-fishing will start in Bangladesh. Even if they allow now, the window will be too short to import a significant quantity of the silver delicacy from across the border,” Maqsood added.
More than 580 MT of Hilsa was imported from India in the last two months,” secretary of the Fish Importers’ Association in West Bengal SA Maqsood said. The Sheikh Hasina government had imposed a ban on the export of Hilsa in 2012. However, since 2019, the Bangladesh government has been allowing a few thousand tonnes of Hilsa to be exported to India every year ahead of the festive season. The Bangladesh government’s order said that the fisheries department had cancelled the no-objection certificates issued to 103 fish importers in the country. The Hilsa was mostly imported from India and Myanmar, with around 1,739 MT imported. Durga Puja starts from Mahalaya on October 10.
In Bangladesh the fish-eggs would be processed separately and exported to other countries, while the fish would be dried for future consumption as dried fish in Cox Bazar, Chittagong, Sylhet and other areas,” said Maqsood. Fish traders in West Bengal said that as fish consumption is very low in Gujarat, most of the catch was sent to West Bengal.
“Like every year, we have approached the Bangladesh government to allow export of Hilsa to India (West Bengal) before the Durga Puja. An order was issued by the fisheries department of Bangladesh in this regard on Tuesday.
