Dhaka [Bangladesh], September 17 (HBTV): Bangladesh’s Commerce Ministry has approved the export of 1,200 tonnes of Hilsa fish to India on the occasion of the upcoming Durga Puja, granting permission to 37 companies under specific conditions, the country’s interim government announced on Tuesday.
The export period has been set from September 16 to October 5, 2025.
According to the notification, the conditions require adherence to the Export Policy 2024-27. The validity of the permission will remain from September 16, 2025, to October 5, 2025, and the export price of Hilsa per kg must be at least USD 12.5.
In subsequent applications, exporters must submit supporting information on the actual exported quantity from the previously approved allotment, and no more than the authorized quantity can be shipped. Customs authorities will verify every consignment through the ASYCUDA World System to ensure compliance. The export permission is not transferable, and authorized exporters cannot subcontract shipments.
The ministry stated: ‘The government has taken a policy decision to conditionally export 1,200 metric tonnes of Hilsa to India on the occasion of Durga Puja in 2025.’
Applications were invited from interested exporters until September 11, 2025, with required documents including an updated trade license, ERC, income tax certificate, VAT certificate, sales contract, and a license from the Department of Fisheries.
The minimum export price has been fixed at USD 12.50 per kg. Exporters who had applied before the publication of the notification were also directed to reapply.
Last year, on September 27, 2024, the first consignment of Bangladesh’s ‘Padma Hilsa,’ weighing 45-50 tonnes, reached West Bengal ahead of Durga Puja. The interim government had exported a total of 2,420 tonnes of Hilsa to India in 2024.
Currently, the wholesale price of Hilsa at the Howrah fish market is between INR 1,400 and INR 1,600 per kg. The consignments, known for their superior taste, crossed the Petrapole-Benapole border and were distributed across retail markets in and around Kolkata.
Bangladesh had imposed a ban on Hilsa exports in July 2012 but has allowed conditional exports to India during Durga Puja since 2019.
(ANI)