Bangladesh has authorised 37 companies to export a total of 1,200 tonnes of hilsa to India ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations. The Ministry of Commerce released the list of approved exporters on Tuesday.
Bangladesh has been exporting hilsa to India since 2019 under special permission from the Ministry of Commerce. Following the student-led mass uprising in 2024, The interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus allowed traders to export 2,420 tonnes of hilsa.
This year, the allocated quantity is nearly half of last year’s exports.
The Ministry of Commerce has also set eight conditions for exporting hilsa. Exporters must comply with the provisions of the Export Policy 2024–27 and carry out shipments themselves without subcontracting.
Exports will begin immediately and continue until 5th October, with customs authorities conducting strict inspections.
“For subsequent applications, all evidence and information regarding the actual quantity exported against the previously approved amount must be submitted,” said the commerce ministry circular.
No shipment can exceed the approved quantity, and customs will verify each consignment through the ASYCUDA World System.
The government has also reserved the right to cancel the export permission at any time if deemed necessary. In September, Bangladesh approved the export of 1,200 tonnes of hilsa to India, setting a minimum export price of $12.50 per kilogram.
