On the occasion of Durga Puja, the first shipment of hilsa fish was sent to India through the Benapole land port in Jessore on Monday. On the first day, a fish exporting company exported eight thousand kg of hilsa. Hilsa was exported at the rate of USD 10 (Tk 949) per kg of size.

The Ministry of Commerce has approved the export of 2 thousand 450 metric tons of hilsa in favor of 49 companies for export to India this year. Each company can export 50 metric tons of hilsa.

According to Benapole Custom House sources, the first shipment of Ilish loaded truck entered the Petrapol port in India after customs and port formalities on Monday evening. The exporter in the first shipment is Mahima Enterprises of Barisal. The importing company is SR International of India. Hilsa fish was exported for USD 10 per kg in the first shipment. Companies approved by the Ministry of Commerce must export all hilsa by September 30.

According to the related sources, Padma hilsa is loved by the Bengalis of West Bengal, but the Bangladesh government stops exporting it at various times considering the country’s demand. In 2012, a ban was imposed on the export of hilsa from Bangladesh to India. However, since then Bangladesh government has sent hilsa as a greeting gift to Indian government several times. Hilsa is being exported again in the last two years.

Benapole Custom House Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Hakim told Prothom Alo that eight metric tons of hilsa were exported to India through Benapole port at the rate of 10 dollars per kg on the first day. As it is a perishable product, instructions have been given to the field level officials of customs to speed up the export process including customs clearance of hilsa shipments.