Indian traders have once again sought hilsa from Bangladesh ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja festival. The Fish Importers Association of India has written to the Bangladesh government seeking permission to import hilsa.

According to sources at the Ministry of Commerce, the Indian business organization has, as in previous years, sent separate letters to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce.

Ministry of Commerce sources said the issue of exporting hilsa to India during Durga Puja is being viewed positively. However, the quantity to be exported has not yet been finalized.

Meanwhile, 18 Bangladeshi companies have already applied to export hilsa to India. The Ministry of Commerce will send a letter to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock on Wednesday (September 9) seeking verification and scrutiny of the applications.

Commerce Secretary Ataur Rahman Khan told the media, “We have received the letter from the Indian traders. However, the quantity of hilsa that can be exported will be decided after discussions with the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.”

In their letter, the Indian traders said that an average of 5,000 tonnes of hilsa had been exported to India every year since 1996. However, exports were stopped after 2012 for unknown reasons. Later, from September 2019, the Bangladesh government began granting special permission to export hilsa for a specific one-month period during Durga Puja.

The letter further requested that permission for hilsa exports be granted earlier this year, instead of waiting until the end of September as in previous years. The traders argued that the short-term and limited export permissions do not ultimately bring any significant benefit.

According to available data, Bangladesh approved the export of 500 tonnes of hilsa to India in September 2019, after a long hiatus. In 2020, permission was granted to export 1,850 tonnes, but the full approved quantity was not exported.

In 2021, against an approved quota of 4,600 tonnes, only 1,200 tonnes were exported to India. In 2022, Bangladesh approved the export of 2,900 tonnes, but the actual exports amounted to 1,300 tonnes.

In 2023, permission was granted to export 3,950 tonnes, while only 1,300 tonnes were sent to India. In 2025, Bangladesh approved the export of 2,420 tonnes, but only 577 tonnes were actually exported.

Most recently, permission was granted to export 1,200 tonnes of hilsa to India, but only 150 tonnes were ultimately exported.