Bangladesh To Export 1200 MT of Hilsa Fish to India During Festive Season
Hilsa is the national fish of Bangladesh which is the highest producer of the coveted silver fish in the world. Fishing of Hilsa is regulated in West Bengal during the breeding season in monsoon to facilitate spawning
New Delhi: What can be Durga Puja without the `Ilish? For Bengalis, this coveted fish, commonly called Hilsa, is just not a delicacy but part of their rich culture.
As a goodwill gesture, the Bangladesh government has decided to export 1200 MT of country’s Hilsa fish to India ahead of the festival seasons. Making the announcement, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Mr Riaz Hamidullah said on Monday that the move is a “mark of enduring friendship.”
“Ilish (Hilsa) coming! The Bangladesh Government just decided to export the quintessential fish to India ahead of festival seasons, as a mark of enduring friendship,” said Mr Hamidullah in a post on X.
Hilsa is the national fish of Bangladesh which is the highest producer of the coveted silver fish in the world. Fishing of Hilsa is regulated in West Bengal during the breeding season in monsoon to facilitate spawning. Bangladeshi Hilsa, particularly from the freshwaters of Padma river, is in great demand in West Bengal, Assam Tripura, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. There is high demand for Hilsa during Durga Puja in West Bengal, Assam, Tripura and Odisha.
Amid strained ties, the interim government of Bangladesh under Muhammad Yunus had banned export of Hilsa last year but lifted the ban just ahead of the Puja festivities when there is high demand for the fish. West Bengal is now getting its record supply from Gujarat as a result the price of the fish is lesser than what it is in Dhaka.
Sources in Bangladesh government said Hilsa export to India always needs clearance from the government. The circular of the Bangladesh government on Hilsa said the export will be with certain terms and conditions and has fixed the minimum export price per kilogram at $12.5 (Rs 1,100). Interested exporters have been asked to submit application by September 11, 2025.
Meanwhile, a 14-member team from Bangladesh is in Delhi for the meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) that will take place in Jal Shakti Ministry on Tuesday. Sources said the JRC will discuss technical aspects of the agreement apart from joint flood forecasting systems.
The Indo-Bangladesh Ganga Waters Agreement, which was signed during former Bangladesh prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s term in 1996 will come up for renewal next year. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, bilateral discussions for its renewal are yet to commence between the two countries. A technical committee was formed during the last meeting of JRC in March 2025 to look into the broad parameters of the pact. However, the Indian side may like to wait for the elections in Bangladesh to conclude before moving head on renewal of the treaty.
Under the framework of the JRC, technical-level meetings are held with Bangladesh on all water-related issues. The last such meeting was held in March 2025, providing a structured platform for data sharing and joint monitoring, MEA said adding the Government of West Bengal is regularly consulted by the Union Government in preparing for the discussions.
