The news that the interim government in Bangladesh has finally decided to export Hilsa to India ahead of the Durga Puja festival has brought smiles on the faces of fish-loving Bengalis in Bengal.
On an average, we are importing 50 MT daily and it will take around three months to import the huge consignment,” said Anwar Muqsood, secretary of both the Fish Importers’ Association and Howrah Wholesale Fish Market, today.
“It will be the biggest ever consignment of Bangladeshi hilsa hitting markets in Kolkata and other towns since 2012 when the Bangladesh government had banned export the silver fish of the Padma to India,”
On the other hand, online food delivery system became the choicest option for some of the mother-in-laws who put their best efforts to please their son-inlaw without feeling the burden of the soaring prices.
The duping game recurs every year with the buyers paying for what they consider to be the 'real stuff'.
Aggrieved with the dual crisis most of the fishermen at Kakdwip, Namkhana, Raidighi, Frezerganj and Diamond Harbour in South 24-Parganas are sitting idle along with their thousands of unused trawlers at this time of high season for catching Hilsa.
As for the households which do not have the benefits of expert hands that produce **bhapa ilish or the lip-smacking other varieties of the fish in record time, the less than plentiful supply of hilsa is no cause for concern.
Fish lovers along the Ganges till Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj will now be able to enjoy fresh Hilsa thanks to a decision that will help the fish swim all the way from Bangladesh upstream the Ganges.
While Hilsa is extremely infrastructure lean, Simikot has decent boarding, communication and medical facilities.
