For Bangladeshi traders who had already bought hilsa from Gujarat, the fish is now stuck on the other side of the border.
Bangladesh has suddenly stopped ongoing imports of hilsa from India, cancelling at least 103 No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) that had allowed importers to bring the fish through Benapole land port from India’s Petrapole border point in West Bengal.
The decision has left some traders facing losses, while also raising questions about what it could mean for the traditional flow of Bangladeshi hilsa to India ahead of Durga Puja.
The Fisheries Department has not given a specific public reason for cancelling the NOCs.
Hundreds of tonnes had already entered Bangladesh
The sudden halt comes after Bangladesh had permitted the import of 1,739.50 tonnes of hilsa from India during the current financial year.
So far, around 535 metric tonnes have reportedly entered Bangladesh, according to Asawadul Islam, an inspector at the Fish and Quality Control Office in Benapole.
The Indian hilsa being brought into Bangladesh was mainly sourced from Gujarat, with consignments shipped through Bharuch port.
For importers, the timing of the decision has created an immediate problem. Some had already purchased fish and stored it in Gujarat, expecting to send it across the border.
Importer Syed Mahidul Haque Rubai said traders could now be forced to return the fish or sell it at lower prices, while also bearing import-related expenses.
Another importer, Ziaur Rahman, said the losses could be severe because money had already been spent on fish, storage and other import costs.
Why did Bangladesh stop the imports?
There has been no official explanation from the Fisheries Department.
However, The Business Standard, quoting industry sources, reported several possible reasons behind the move. These include concerns that Indian hilsa could be sold as locally caught or premium Padma hilsa, possible under-invoicing and money laundering, and an effort to increase demand for Bangladesh’s own hilsa.
These remain reported possibilities and have not been officially confirmed by the department.
Gujarat hilsa found a market in Bangladesh
The decision is significant because Gujarat hilsa had only recently entered Bangladesh’s market in a larger way.
The fish comes largely from the Narmada river region around Bharuch and is different from the hilsa associated with Bangladesh’s Padma and Meghna rivers.
Padma hilsa is known for being fattier and more tender, with a distinctive fragrance and sweetness. Gujarat hilsa is comparatively leaner but has a higher roe content, which can give it a more bitter taste.
Yet price has helped Gujarat hilsa find buyers.
Premium Padma and Meghna hilsa can reportedly cost up to Tk 2,800 per kg, while Gujarat hilsa can sell for around Tk 1,800 per kg.
That price difference has made the Indian variety useful not only for consumers but also for processors.
The eggs are part of the demand
Gujarat hilsa’s high roe content has created another market for the fish.
Hilsa eggs are considered a delicacy in parts of Bangladesh, including Sylhet, and some producers reportedly bought Gujarat hilsa specifically to extract the roe.
The comparatively lower price has also made the fish useful for producing salted and sun-dried hilsa.
According to activist academic Rezaur Rahman Lenin, Indian imports help fill shortages in Bangladesh’s market.
That shortage has become more important as Bangladesh’s own hilsa production has fallen.
Bangladesh produces the most hilsa, but supply has fallen
Bangladesh remains the world’s largest hilsa producer, but its annual production has declined in recent years.
Figures cited from Prothom Alo put production at around 571,324 tonnes in 2022, falling to about 500,000 tonnes in 2025.
At the same time, prices have climbed sharply.
Hilsa that sold for around Tk 705 per kg in 2018 was reportedly reaching as much as Tk 2,600 per kg by August 25.
Against this backdrop, cheaper Gujarat hilsa had become one way to meet part of the market’s demand.
The decision could also affect India’s festive season
The hilsa trade between the two countries has a cultural side as well.
Bangladesh has restricted regular hilsa exports to India since 2012, although it has occasionally allowed limited shipments ahead of Durga Puja. These consignments have often been described as gifts. This year, however, Bangladesh has not yet announced any such shipment.
The development is particularly notable after Bangladesh allowed 1,200 tonnes of hilsa to be exported to India in 2025 under the then Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. That was already much lower than the 2,420 tonnes permitted in 2024.
In reality, only 145 tonnes reached India in 2025, including 106 tonnes through Petrapole. With Bangladesh now stopping Indian hilsa imports, there is growing uncertainty over whether it will approve any hilsa shipments to India this year.
A fish story with a wider trade angle
The latest move is therefore about more than hilsa.
It has put Bangladeshi importers who purchased Indian fish in a difficult position, while raising questions about Bangladesh’s domestic fish supply and the future of a small but culturally important India-Bangladesh trade. It could also add another point of friction to bilateral trade.
Indian researcher and columnist Pratim Ranjan Bose has argued on X that New Delhi should respond by restricting imports of Bangladesh’s ready-made garments. That is his personal view and does not represent an announced Indian government policy.
For now, the key question remains unanswered: why did Bangladesh cancel the import permissions after allowing the trade to begin?
Until the Fisheries Department gives a formal explanation, traders on both sides are left watching a border where the fish may be ready — but the paperwork is no longer moving.
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