Full Breakdown
Bangladesh Halts Hilsa Imports as Domestic Catch Plummets, Threatening Durga Puja Supply
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Cancellation of Hilsa Import Permits
Bangladesh’s fisheries department cancelled the no-objection certificates of 103 fish importers, stopping Hilsa imports from India and Myanmar as the domestic catch fell to roughly a quarter of its usual volume, raising doubts that Padma Hilsa will reach households in time for Durga Puja.
Background & Context
The Sheikh Hasina government lifted a 2012 export ban in 2019, allowing a few thousand tonnes of Bangladeshi Hilsa to be shipped to West Bengal each year for the festival. Historically, the “Queen of Fish” from the Padma-Meghna system has been preferred over Indian-caught Hilsa from the Hooghly. A surge in Hilsa from Gujarat’s Narmada River has provided an alternative source, but traders consider it inferior.
Data & Statistics
- Approved 1,200 MT of Hilsa for export this year (Hindustantimes).
- Only 150 MT were imported before the ban.
- Importers reported more than 580 MT arriving from India in the last two months.
- Hindustantimes cites a total of 1,739 MT imported from India and Myanmar combined.
- ThePrint notes 3,000 tonnes exported in September 2024, while the previous year’s export fell to 150 tonnes.
- Indian exporters have sent roughly 500 MT of Gujarat Hilsa to Bangladesh over the past two months.
- Traders in West Bengal expect to move more than 150 tonnes in the coming week.
Official Statements & Responses
Bangladesh’s fisheries department cited the severe decline in domestic catches. SA Maqsood, secretary of the Fish Importers’ Association in West Bengal, warned that even if approvals were granted now, the window before the fishing ban would be too short to secure significant quantities for Durga Puja.
Criticism & Opposition
Rabindranath Barman, president of the Matsyajibi Federation, argued that inferior Gujarat Hilsa has been passed off as Bangladeshi fish, cheating consumers and prompting the permit suspension. Consumer Deboshree Mondal of Howrah reported that the taste of Hilsa has deteriorated and her family now struggles to find authentic Padma Hilsa.
Verbatim Quotes
- “For the last five years, we have been sending ilish from Bangladesh to Kolkata. But this year, there is very little ilish in Bangladesh, so there will be very little available for export,” — Kamal Das, owner of MDV Fish in Kolkata
- “Only a quarter of the usual catch happened this year,” — Khokon, owner of Satata Fish in Dhaka
- “Padma Hilsa tastes so much better than Gujarat; there is no match,” — Das. Much
- “The taste of Hilsa has deteriorated over the years,” — Deboshree Mondal, a resident of Howrah
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on total Hilsa imports. ThePrint references 3,000 tonnes exported in September 2024, while Hindustantimes cites 1,739 MT imported overall and 580 MT in the last two months. Indiatimes reports 550 tonnes imported over the past couple of months, indicating a lack of consolidated tracking across border checkpoints. Precise figures for Gujarat-origin versus Bangladeshi Hilsa in Indian markets remain unclear.
What’s Next
- October 8: Bangladesh begins a 22-day fishing ban.
- October 10: Durga Puja starts with Mahalaya, intensifying demand for Hilsa.
- October 4: A holiday precedes the fishing ban, leaving less than ten days for any remaining imports.
The convergence of a record-low domestic catch, halted imports, and an imminent fishing ban creates uncertainty for the Hilsa supply chain that underpins Durga Puja celebrations across Bengal.
