Days after ban lift, hilsa out of reach for people in Bagerhat

Despite the end of a 22-day fishing ban aimed at protecting hilsa during its spawning season, the price of hilsa remains beyond the reach of general people in Bagerhat.

Limited supply has increased prices, increasing by Tk100 to Tk300 per kilogram depending on size. Five days after the ban's end, buyers are frustrated as prices remain high.

According to traders, the prices are high because of the lack of fish from the sea and lower-than-expected catches in rivers.

A visit to the main market in Bagerhat on Friday morning found 1 kilogram hilsa selling for Tk1,600 to Tk2,000 per kg, 700-800 gram hilsa at Tk1,200, and 500-gram hilsa at Tk1,000. Three to four hilsa weighing 1 kg are being sold for Tk700-800, and five to six hilsa weighing 1 kg are being sold for Tk500-600.

The hilsa price hike has also affected the prices of other fish. Despite stable supplies, fish prices like vetki, rui, katla, shrimp, and tengra have increased by Tk50 to Tk100 per kg.

Vetki is now sold at Tk600-900 per kg, while carp such as rui, katla, mrigel, and grass carp are priced between Tk280 and Tk450. Shrimp varieties like horina, chaka, and chami reach up to Tk600-700 per kg. Pangas and tilapia remain at Tk150 to Tk250 per kg.

Nurun Nahar, a salaried employee, said, "Even with a good salary at a private company, I still have to budget carefully for groceries. I have to think twice before buying my preferred fish. Low-income families don't even consider buying hilsa. If larger, more expensive fish like hilsa were sold in pieces, maybe more people could enjoy it."

Another buyer, Rafik Haldar, said, "I came to buy hilsa after the ban, but the prices are too high, so I bought rui and a few small hilsa instead. At this rate, most people won't be able to afford hilsa."

Abdul Salam, president of the Bagerhat Fish Market Traders Association, said, "Hilsa prices are higher than before. Even though the ban has ended, fishermen aren't catching much in the sea. There's also an increase in sea piracy. The hilsa you see in the market mostly comes from neighbouring districts like Barishal. Prices will drop once the sea catch starts coming in."

Meanwhile, on Friday morning, five days after the ban, no trawlers arrived at the main marine landing centre in Bagerhat.

Sheikh Abed Ali, president of the KB Market Fish Traders Association, said that only frozen sea fish were available, as there was no new catch, further contributing to the high hilsa prices in the market.