‘We Apologise, But We Can’t’: No Hilsa From Bangladesh For Bengalis in India This Durga Puja

The not so humble hilsa, considered to be one of the best varieties of fish in the world, has now become a thorn between India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has banned exports of the hilsa fish to India.

The timing has come wrong for the Bengalis as Durga Puja is incomplete without the hilsa dish.

While hilsa is available in India, the Bangladesh variety found in the Padma river, is known to be the best in the world. Bangladesh accounts for 70 per cent of the world’s hilsa reserves.

Speaking exclusively to News18, Bangladesh fisheries minister Farida Akhtar said, “We apologise but we can’t allow hilsa to go to India. It’s an expensive fish and we notice that our own people are unable to have it as all goes to India and what is left behind is too expensive for our people. We, too, celebrate Durga Puja, our people can also enjoy it here.”

Despite the huge demand for hilsa in Bangladesh and a ban, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina would, as a goodwill gesture, ensure that India would get at least 4,000 tonnes of hilsa ahead of Durga Puja. This has been criticised by Farida Akhtar, who said, “This was not needed. She should not have done this and just for the sake of good relations with India, she compromised the needs of the people of Bangladesh.”

Government sources in Bangladesh have said that this was a goodwill gesture which was much needed during these times when relations between India and Bangladesh are strained. While India at this time doesn’t want to make an issue over such things, given the fact it wants to normalise relations, it’s not just fish, but also the Teesta water treaty issue, which is the real sticky issue.

“I think the Indian government must give priority to this issue. I don’t think our diplomatic relation should be so fragile that it gets affected by no exports if hilsa. If India wants things to improve, the Teesta issue should be solved.”