Coinciding with the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi, the first consignment of Hilsa fish arrived in the markets of Kolkata on Tuesday. “We have received this year’s first consignment of about 8.5 metric tonnes of Hilsa from Bangladesh today,” Syed Anwar Massod, secretary of West Bengal Fish Importers Association, said.
Mr. Masood told The Hindu that this year Bangladesh has given permission to export 2,450 metric tonnes of the fish ahead of the Durga Puja festival. Bangladesh had imposed a ban on export of Hilsa to India in 2012, but since 2019 has allowed relaxations on the export, particularly in the festival season.
Diplomacy over Hilsa, Bengal’s favourite fish has played out on several occasions. Only a few months ago, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee had asked visiting Bangladesh’s Minister of Commerce, Tipu Munshi, to request Sheikh Hasina to send Hilsa to India during the festival season.
