Bangladesh halted hilsa fish exports to India ahead of a key holiday. Why?

In a sudden move that reverses and defies the culture of shared palettes, Bangladesh's interim government has banned the export of hilsa to India in the month leading up to Durga Puja.

Officials cite limited supply as the main reason for the ban, though the answer is likely far more complicated than that.

Bangladesh produces 70 percent of the world's hilsa (or ilish in Bangla) fish, and it is wildly popular on both sides of the India-Bangladesh border.

Ask a Bengali for their thoughts on hilsa, and they will not only profess their undying love for this much-relished fish, but may also rattle off their family's signature hilsa recipe and why it's the best.

Though Odiyas, Assamese and even Maharashtrians also share an affection for the "king of fishes," nothing quite matches the Bengali fervour for hilsa.

However, for Hindu Bengalis in West Bengal or elsewhere in India, celebrations like Durga Puja (the autumnal festival of the mother goddess) or Jamai Shoshti (a day-long celebration in honour of son-in-laws) are considered incomplete without hilsa on the table.

During the Durga Puja, which begins next month, most Bengali kitchens become rich with the fragrance of special cuisine, including hilsa. Typically cooked in mustard oil, the fish is incorporated into fine, indulgent dishes during the five-day autumnal celebrations.

For many, these festivities are closely entwined with gastronomic pleasure. Consider a chunky piece of Padmar Illish floating in a canary yellow, mustard-based gravy or delicately steamed and wrapped in a banana leaf.

But no more!

Ban backstory

The ban marks the end of erstwhile goodwill culture initiated by Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who used to send consignments of hilsa to India every year between August and October, often coinciding with Hindu festive months.

Relevantly, this is not the first ban on the export of Bangladesh's national fish. An earlier ban was imposed in 2012 and continued until 2020, due to demands in Bangladesh's local market.

However, in 2023 Hasina's government approved the export of 3,950 million metric tons of the celebrated fish around Durga Puja. Nine truckloads of fish arrived at the border town Petrapole in West Bengal, each containing five tons of hilsa. The fish was a special gesture to Indian/Bengali hilsa-lovers.

Notably, Bangladesh has been the global leader in the production of hilsa, a fish with wide geographical habitat, found in the rivers and estuaries of Myanmar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and as far as Iraq and Iran in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Bangladesh says that this most recent ban is to reserve the produce for its local market, but the move is also reflective of growing tensions between India and Bangladesh, following the August overthrow of Sheikh Hasina.

Growing tensions

Bangladesh has never been just another neighbour for India. Both countries share a porous border of 2,545 miles with 54 transboundary rivers.

Border security has been of critical importance to both nations, and the countries have agreements on river water sharing and trade, demonstrating their multi-pronged diplomatic relationship.

Hasina therefore was a major ally for India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, in diplomacy, long-term geopolitical interests always trump individual political camaraderie.

The interim government in Bangladesh has been clear: either India helps ensure accountability for Hasina, who fled to New Delhi amid massive protests last month, or it stands against Bangladesh.

India has been trying to nurture a fresh chapter in its mutual relationship with Dhaka, but anti-India sentiment has been simmering high as calls for Hasina's extradition gain momentum in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh National Party (BNP) is urging India to help with Hasina's deportation. The former PM who is reportedly in India faces several charges for violating human rights, including murder and other violations during her 15-year regime.

Additionally, the interim government has cancelled her diplomatic passport, making her more vulnerable to extradition efforts.

To further complicate matters, rumours are swirling in Bangladesh that India has played a role in the current flooding situation due to the opening of Dumbur Dam in India's northeastern state of Tripura.

This belief is further fueling anti-Indian sentiment. A ban on hilsa exports could thus be interpreted as a sign of a rift between the two countries.

In India, that leaves poor Bengalis the worst hit, as they will have to pay extortionate prices for hilsa next month.

Though for now they have a consolation - hilsa from Myanmar, and the Indian state of Gujarat, which the Ilish-loving don't rate as highly as the Bangladeshi variety.

But it still hurts because after all, Padmar Ilish is no ordinary fish. It represents a shared palette with Bangladesh, and is a regal gastronomic celebration in itself.