The latest Bangladesh government decision to export 3,000 metric tonnes of delicious Hilsa fish to India on the occasion of upcoming Durga Puja is greeted by diplomats and business leaders in Dhaka and New Delhi, sources said.

The statement of some politicians both in Bangladesh and India often causes controversy, storm, tension and embarrassment not only on political and cultural issues, but also economic issues, said diplomats, business leaders and policy makers….

The then Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty’s statement in December 2007 raised controversy in Bangladesh as the high commissioner said that New Delhi won’t export rice to Bangladesh by depriving the consumers of India.   

The cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh damaging standing crops in 15 Southern districts leading to a crisis of rice in the country.

Bangladesh's attempt to import half a million tonnes of rice from neighbouring India to meet its immediate post-cyclone needs  hit a snag, after New Delhi said that only the Indian government could make such exports.

Bangladesh required 1.7 millions of food grains, including its main staple rice, either from import or grants, by the end of June, 2008.

This was in the wake of Cyclone Sidr, which destroyed large tracts of crops in the South Asian Country last month. The then Indian External Affairs Minister  Pranab Mukherjee  after visiting some cyclone-devastated areas, said that his country would lift a ban temporarily to allow Banmport 500,000 tonnes of rice to help Dhaka deal with the disaster.

Meanwhile, Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar in August 11, 2024 said that the new government's priority will be to make Hilsa available to the people before exporting them to the neighbouring country.

Farida said, "We won't deprive the people by prioritising Hilsa export. The prices go up due to syndicates and extortion, to which we will put an end."

"We need to stop food adulteration to protect our future generations. Besides, we have to increase supply of goods in the market, which will bring down prices," added Farida.

In fiscal 2023-24, Bangladesh exported 664.86 tonnes of hilsa to India at $7.71 million, according to data of the Department of Fisheries. In fiscal 2022-23, Bangladesh exported 1,376.42 tonnes of hilsa worth $13.68 million, the data shows.

In fiscal 2022-23, Bangladesh produced a total of 571,342 tonnes of hilsa. In fiscal 2021-22, the production of hilsa was 566,593 tonnes, shows fisheries data.

Fishers catch up to 600,000 tonnes of the fish annually. In 2017, hilsa was recognised as a geographical indicator of the country.

In Dhaka, a piece of hilsa weighing one kilogramme (kg) is being sold between Tk 1,400 and Tk 1,600 at retail. Hilsa weighing below one kg is priced between Tk 1,100 and Tk 1,200 per kg at retail.Bangladesh to export of 3,000 MTs of hilsa to India for Durga Puja.

Earlier a report last month suggests that Bangladesh decided not to export hilsa fish to India on the occasion of Durga Puja in October, according to a top commerce ministry official, discontinuing a long-standing tradition of the country as a "goodwill gesture" to its neighbour.

The decision of the export ban is to ensure adequate hilsa supply in the local market so that the prized fish remains more accessible to people, according to authorities.

During the puja festival, Bangladesh, the largest producer of hilsa, usually relaxes the ban on exports of the fish, a sought-after delicacy especially in India's West Bengal.

Hilsa consignments from Dhaka are treated as a gift of Bangladesh to Indian people during the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.

"We have around 50 applications pending for exporting the fish to India," said a senior commerce ministry official. "But we have not received any export permission from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock this year."

During the student movement during July 1- August 5, 2024 in Bangladesh, Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee and a section of Bangalees  stood with the demands of students of Bangladesh against the dictator Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Kolkata based- Fish Importers Association Secretary Syed Anwar Maqsood said that Bangladesh exported 1200 tonnes, 1300 and 1300 tonnes of Hilsa to India respectively during 2021, 2022 and 2023. During the 2012-2028 period, Bangladesh imposed a total ban of ‘Hilsa export’ to India on grounds that  Hilsa production has dropped substantially.

Earlier, Bangladesh imposed a ban on ‘Hilsa export’ to neighboring country during 2012-18 on grounds of decreasing production and high price in the local market.  

Meanwhile, the then Fisheries and Livestock Minister Narayan Chandra Chanda on January 08, 2018, said that the government will lift ban on hilsa export soon.

"We want to export hilsa, as its production has increased as well as demand in the international market," said Narayan.

On August 1, 2012, the government imposed ban on hilsa export.

Though Bangladesh’s export to India is hovering around 2.00 billion US dollars as against imports of 6-7 times of Indian goods, Hilsa, a delicious fish, has been in high demand in India, especially in West Bengal. The demand usually goes high during Durga Puja, one of the main rituals of the Hindu community.

Meanwhile,  the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, sent Hilsa to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on a number of occasions. Hoping to resolve a long-standing water dispute, she also gifted 30kg of hilsa to the then Indian president Pranab Mukherjee in 2017.

Hasina was removed dramatically on 5 August after weeks of student-led protests that escalated into deadly nationwide unrest. Initially expected to stay in India briefly, her attempts to secure asylum in the UK, US and UAE have so far failed.

Her continued presence in India has also complicated Delhi's efforts to build a strong relationship with the new interim government in Dhaka. For India, Bangladesh is a key strategic partner and ally, vital for border security, especially in its north-eastern states.

Meanwhile, the then Fisheries and Livestock Minister S M Rezaul Karim on 06 January, 2021,  said the government is not considering exporting hilsa, the national fish of Bangladesh, in the next five years.

"It will not be advisable to export hilsa in the next five years as we want to give many in the villages the opportunity to have their fill of our delicious national fish. Only then will we think of exporting hilsa,'' he said.

He said that thanks to proper management, the government had achieved remarkable success in hilsa production in the last 12 years. The measures include destruction of illegal nets, hilsa research, ban on hilsa fishing during breeding season, ban on jatka capture (juvenile hilsa fish) and stopping its smuggling, and air patrols for protection of mother hilsa.

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury recently urged Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) to take special measures to prevent smuggling of hilsa and fertiliser to the neighboring country.

"The government is not exporting hilsa to India this year considering internal demand. Besides, the government has continued to supply fertiliser by importing sufficient quantities even in the current dollar crisis," said Jahangir, also the advisor to the agriculture ministry.

He said, "In this context, there is a risk of smuggling of hilsa and fertiliser to neighboring countries. Therefore, the smuggling of various products, including hilsa and fertiliser, should be stopped as part of the main responsibility of the Coast Guard."