Bangladesh to export 2,080 tonnes of hilsha to India

The commerce ministry today gave go-ahead to 52 companies to export 2,080 tonnes of hilsa fish to India by October 10 this year, as the Indian government wanted this special variety of fish from Bangladesh ahead of the Durga Puja, a religious festival for Hindu people.

"We have selected 52 local companies to ship 40 tonnes of hilsha each to India as they qualified for exporting the fish," said Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh over phone.

"It is one kind of diplomatic move by the government as every year Bangladesh sends hilsha fish to India before the Durga Puja," Ghosh said.

Last year, Bangladesh exported almost the same quantity of hilsha fish to India before the Durga Puja, he said.

The demand for hilsha fish is very high among the people of Bangladesh and India's West Bengal for its special flavour. So, every year the Indian government urges Bangladesh to send hilsha fish to India ahead of the Puja.