Bangladesh Hilsa Fish Ban: Bangladesh's interim government has taken a big decision to please India before Durga Puja. Bangladesh said on Saturday that it will export 3,000 tonnes of Hilsa fish to India during the upcoming Durga Puja. The government has amended its previous decision. Durga Puja will be celebrated from October 9 to 13.

Just a few days ago, the interim government led by Professor Mohammad Yunus had banned Hilsa exports to India to meet domestic demand, ending a long-standing tradition by Bangladesh as a 'goodwill gesture' towards its neighbour.

The ban was lifted given the exporters' appeal.

The Commerce Ministry said in a statement, "Given the appeal of the exporters, permission has been given to export 3,000 tonnes of Hilsa fish (to India) on the occasion of the upcoming Durga Puja, subject to fulfilling specific conditions." The ministry asked the applicants to contact the concerned branch to obtain export permission.

The tradition of exporting Hilsa has been going on for years

The previous Awami League government led by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had allowed the export of hilsa to India between September and October every year as a goodwill gesture. This tradition had been going on for years. Officials said Bangladesh had allowed 79 companies to export a total of 4,000 tonnes to India in 2023.

Bangladesh is the world's largest Hilsa producer.

Bangladesh is the world's largest producer of Hilsa but it bans the export of this fish due to high local demand. The Fish Importers Association of India had earlier this month urged Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hussain to allow the export of Hilsa fish to India during Durga Puja, when there was uncertainty over fish exports this year due to unrest and government change in the country.

In a letter dated September 9, the association's secretary Syed Anwar Maqsood said Bangladesh had banned the export of Hilsa in 2012 but for the past five years, as a goodwill gesture, it has been allowing its export in limited quantities from the first week of September till the end of Durga Puja.