India will receive only half the quantity of hilsa initially expected for this year’s Durga Puja, sparking fears of soaring prices during the festive season in West Bengal.
According to Anandabazar, Bangladesh had earlier given an informal assurance of exporting 3,000 tonnes of hilsa to India.
However, Dhaka’s Commerce Ministry recently granted permission for only 1,200 tonnes. The decision has left many fish lovers in West Bengal disappointed.
With the reduced supply, traders anticipate a steep hike in market prices. “We were expecting 3,000 tonnes, but the actual amount is far less. There’s no doubt prices in Kolkata markets will shoot up,” said a local wholesaler.
On Monday, Adviser to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Farida Akhter confirmed that the interim government approved the export of 1,200 tonnes of hilsa as a goodwill gesture in response to India’s special request. The amount is less than half of last year’s.
The interim government has explained the restriction to West Bengal’s fisheries department, citing lower domestic supply.
This June, hilsa catch in Barishal division was nearly 7,000 tonnes less than last year, while July saw a 30% decline.
Hilsa is considered essential in almost every Bengali household during Durga Puja. Fisheries officials in West Bengal warn that reduced supply at a time of peak demand will inevitably push prices higher.
The taskforce on market supply estimates that if Bangladesh had fulfilled the 3,000-tonne promise, prices would have remained more stable.
In 2024, hilsa weighing 1–1.5 kg sold at Tk 1,600–2,000 per kg. This year, the same size is expected to cost at least Tk 2,500 per kg.
Adding to the crisis, coastal markets in South 24 Parganas, East Medinipur, and Howrah have also reported a significant drop in local hilsa supply.
A fishermen’s group claimed that catches of large-sized hilsa have fallen by 35–40% compared to last year.
In response, West Bengal Fisheries Minister Biplab Roychowdhury has suggested bringing hilsa from Gujarat to ease pressure, though he admitted this cannot meet the demand for Padma hilsa.
During former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, hilsa exports to India during Durga Puja became a symbolic diplomatic gesture.
After her government’s fall, the interim administration initially halted exports to meet domestic needs before allowing limited shipments.
Although hilsa exports were listed under Bangladesh’s national export policy from 2015 to 2018, shipments remained suspended until 2019. The practice resumed later, with exports continuing until 2021 during Puja season. Political unrest has since disrupted the continuity.
Last year, Bangladesh initially approved 3,000 tonnes for export but later reduced it to 2,420 tonnes.
The interim government has made it clear that while hilsa remains a sensitive cultural issue, and it does not expect the matter to affect broader Bangladesh-India relations.
