Bangladesh allows more 2,520 tonnes of hilsa export to India

The government has given permission for an additional 2,520 tonnes of hilsa export to India on the eve of Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.

The commerce ministry on Thursday issued a new circular allowing 63 more exporters to export 40 tonnes of hilsa each to India.

With the latest circular, Bangladesh gave special permission to 115 exporters to export 4,600 tonnes of hilsa to India.

Earlier on Monday, the ministry permitted on to 52 exporters for exporting 2,080 tonnes of hilsa to India as a token of good gesture ahead of the religious festival. However, Bangladesh banned export permission for hilsa since 2012 to meet domestic demand.

In 2019, the government gave special permission for exporting 500 tonnes of hilsa to India on the eve of Durga Puja, following a request made by the West Bengal authorities.

Last year, the government allowed another 1,475 tonnes of hilsa export to India on the eve of the same festival.

Following the permission, exporters have already started exporting hilsa fish to India through Petrapole-Benapole land port and the prized fish has already started selling across the West Bengal retail market, according to West Bengal media.