Bangladesh to export 2,450 tonnes of hilsa to India for Durga Puja
Last year, the commerce ministry allowed 115 companies to export a total of 4,600 tonnes of hilsa to India in two phases
The government has approved 49 companies for exporting 2,450 tonnes of hilsa to India on the occasion of Durga Puja.
The Ministry of Commerce issued an order in this regard on Monday, allowing each company to export a maximum of 50 tonnes of hilsa within this month.
As per the order, the export permits cannot be transferred to other companies or any kind of sub-contract is not allowed. Only the authorised organisations will be able to export the hilsa shipments.
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According to the export policy order, the export of hilsa from Bangladesh is banned. However, every year before Durga Puja, a large number of exporters of the country apply to the Ministry of Commerce for permission to send hilsa to India.
After halting the hilsa export to India for seven years, the ministry allowed a certain amount of hilsa exports to India conditionally before Durga Puja in 2019.
In September last year, the ministry allowed 115 companies to export a total of 4,600 tonnes of hilsa to India in two phases. However, despite permission, only 1,400 tonnes were sent due to a supply shortage caused by a fishing ban.
The demand for Bangladeshi hilsa increases a lot in Kolkata, India during Durga Puja. Taking this into account, usually every year at this time, Bangladesh allows export.
However, the government stopped the export in 2012 after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee opposed the Teesta water-sharing agreement.
In 2015, when Mamata Banerjee visited Bangladesh and requested Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to export hilsa to India, the prime minister replied, "Hilsa will go if Teesta water comes". Later in 2019, the government resumed the hilsa export to its neighbour.
