First consignment of 38 MT Hilsa from B’desh reaches state
The Statesman | 18 September 2025Last year, Bangladesh had approved 2,420 MT of silver fish of the Padma to India but only 577 MT had reached.
Today, when Bengal is celebrating Viswakarma Puja eight trucks carrying 38 MT Hilsa from Bangladesh reached Petrapole border in North 24-Parganas district.
On Tuesday, the commerce ministry in Bangladesh approved 37 agencies in the country to export the most coveted fish for Bengalis to India.
As per the directives of the commerce ministry, the agencies have been asked to export the entire 1200 MT Hilsa by 5 October with effect from 16 September.
Hilsa lovers in the city and outskirts hope that the huge import of the Bangladeshi silver fish might bring down its price in retail markets.
Hilsa weighing around 1,200 gm per piece costs around Rs 1,600 to Rs 1,800.
Earlier, with requests from fish importers’ associations in India, the commerce ministry of Bangladesh decided that 1,200 tonnes of Hilsa would be exported to India.
Fish Importer’s Association (FIA) in Kolkata had made an appeal to Tauhid Hossain, an advisor to the Bangladesh government, requesting him not to set any timeframe for exporting Hilsa to India.
In its letter written to Mr Hossain 29 July, the FIA secretary Syed Anwar Maqsood stated: “It would be worthy to note that almost every year we failed to consume the full quantity of Hilsa fish permitted due to the reason that the export permits are time-bound, like the entire quantity have to be exported within 30 to 45 days time. Such a timeframe is actually insufficient for exporting such a huge quantity. As such we may suggest you and also request you please consider giving Hilsa fish export permissions without any timeframe.”
Even when Bangladesh had banned the export of the fish to India, exceptions were made considering the festive season. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had reintroduced what is now called, ‘hilsa diplomacy’. More than 2,000 tonnes of Hilsa on an average from the Padma river had been exported to India since 2019 in the run-up to Durga Puja.
Fish importers said that every year several hundred tonnes of Hilsa is imported to Bengal via the Petrapole land customs station.
“Between September 2019 and 2023, the government of Bangladesh had allowed the export of Hilsa as a goodwill gesture during Durga Puja. We humbly request the interim government to allow the export even this year,” according to an importer in Howrah.
Last year, the first consignment of ilish from Padma river arrived in Bengal from Bangladesh through the Petrapole land port on 21 September. Nine cargo trucks, each carrying five tonnes of Hilsa, had come from Barisal.
The Bangladesh commerce ministry had allowed 79 fish exporters to send 3,950 tonnes of Hilsa to India as a special gesture on the occasion of Durga Puja.
Importers said only 1,300 tonnes of Hilsa finally reached the state.
