Bangladesh suspends hilsa imports from India

Bangladesh has formally suspended hilsa imports from India after the Department of Fisheries cancelled 103 no-objection certificates (NOCs), or import permissions, on September 22, citing concerns over consumer fraud, possible under-invoicing and the protection of domestic hilsa production.

Although the department has not officially disclosed a specific rationale for revoking the approvals, officials and market sources have pointed to several underlying concerns. In particular, cheaper Indian hilsa was allegedly being passed off as premium domestic Padma hilsa at inflated prices, whereas unusually low declared import values raised suspicions of under-invoicing and, by extension, potential money laundering. According to port and market sources, imported hilsa was declared at around US$0.48 to US$2 per kilogram and, after duties and other charges, could cost roughly Tk 500 per kilogram, yet was allegedly retailed as Padma hilsa for Tk 2,000–3,000. Consequently, market monitoring drives have already resulted in fines for traders accused of selling Indian hilsa under false pretences.

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The suspension has, meanwhile, placed importers in a precarious financial position, with several reporting that they had already procured substantial quantities of hilsa in India for shipment to Bangladesh. Ziaur Rahman Zia, general secretary of the importers' association, said the process had ground to a halt following the department's directive, while importer Syed Mahidul Haque Rubai noted that the abrupt suspension had exposed traders to considerable losses. According to Asawadul Islam, an inspector at the Benapole Fisheries and Quality Control Office, 1,739.50 tonnes of hilsa had been approved for import during the current fiscal year, of which only 535 tonnes had entered Bangladesh through Benapole prior to the suspension. Local traders are now awaiting further directives on whether any remaining quota or approvals will permit hilsa imports to resume in future.