Delhi wants ban on hilsa export lifted

Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran on Wednesday urged the government of Bangladesh to lift the ban imposed on hilsa export to India.

The Indian diplomat conveyed the request to Fisheries and Livestock Minister M Sayedul Haq during a meeting held at the latter’s Secretariat office.

Saran said hilsa is very popular fish in India as it is in Bangladesh, and mentioned that the people of the two neighbouring countries have respects to each other’s demand.

In response, Haq said the government temporarily imposed a ban on hilsa export in an effort to keep its supply normal in the domestic market at affordable cost.

He assured the Indian diplomat of discussing the matter with the Commerce Ministry and informing the government decision to that end, said a PID handout.

On July 31, 2012, the government imposed a ban on hilsa export to keep its prices at a level affordable to everyone in the local market.

The minister also said Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka could be benefited economically through conducting research in the longest costal belt of the Bay of Bengal.

He laid emphasis on mutual cooperation in this area and also urged the Indian government to come forward in expediting the activities of the Bay of Bengal Programme, an inter-governmental organization, and Joint Working Group (JWG).