Daccanomics
In this year’s Durga Puja, the interim government’s fisheries and livestock adviser Farida Akhter has stated that priority will be given to ensuring that the people of Bangladesh, including Hindus and other citizens, can enjoy hilsa fish. She mentioned that hilsa fish will not be exported to India this time.
She explained, “We apologize, but we will not be able to send hilsa to India. It is an expensive fish. We have seen that our own people cannot enjoy hilsa because all of it is sent to India. The remaining fish are sold at very high prices. We also celebrate Durga Puja and our people should be able to enjoy it.”
Farida Akhter made these remarks in an interview with Indian news outlet News18 on Friday, September 13.
She criticized the previous administration’s practice of sending 4,000 tons of hilsa to India during Durga Puja as a gesture of friendship. Akhter remarked, “There was no need to send fish to India. It was not appropriate to send fish just to maintain good relations with India while ignoring the needs of our own people.”
Akhter further emphasized, “There is no need to create any issues with India over hilsa. If they want to maintain good relations with Bangladesh, they should address the water-sharing issue of the Teesta River.”
