Indian Fish Importers Urge Bangladesh to Lift Hilsa Ban 'Durga Puja'

Indian fish importers on Friday urged Bangladesh to lift the export ban on the queen of fishes, Hilsa, ahead of Durga Puja, with a Kolkata-based importer association writing to the Bangladesh Commerce Minister seeking permission to resume exports. 

The Fish Importers' Association, which describes itself as an association for fish connoisseurs from beyond borders, has made the request, with Bangladesh considering it



positively.

In its letter, the association recalled its long-standing trade relationship with Bangladesh and said it had been importing Hilsa through land customs stations in West Bengal and Tripura since 1996. 

"We would like to inform you that since the year 1996 we were engaged in importing Hilsa Fish from Bangladesh via Benapole LCS (West Bengal, India) and Akhaura LCS (Tripura, India)," the importer association wrote in the letter.