No Bangladesh Padma Hilsa on Indian Festive Plates This Durga Puja

People in West Bengal will miss Bangladesh’s prized Padma Hilsa during Durga Puja this year because a mandatory 22-day government fishing ban directly coincides with the festival schedule. Importers have confirmed that not a single box of the silver fish will reach Kolkata markets as the ban runs from October 8 to October 29.

To protect breeding mother Hilsa during their peak spawning season, the Bangladesh government strictly prohibits catching, storing, and selling the fish in its rivers every October. Atul Chandra Das, President of the West Bengal Fish Importers Association, stated that Kolkata enthusiasts will be completely deprived of the unique taste of Padma Hilsa because the festival falls right in the middle of this restriction.

Generally, around 3,000 to 4,000 tonnes of Padma Hilsa are exported to West Bengal annually during the festive season, though volumes have declined following recent political changes and falling domestic production. Department of Fisheries data shows that Bangladesh’s Hilsa production stood at 500,000 tonnes in the 2024-25 fiscal year, marking a 5.5 percent decrease from the previous year.

While a small quantity might potentially cross the border illegally, Border Guard Bangladesh has sought assistance from India’s Border Security Force to curb smuggling. A Kolkata trader remarked that if this illicit supply is completely blocked, enjoying Padma Hilsa will be practically impossible, leaving consumers to rely on local alternatives.

To meet high market demand, West Bengal will instead depend on locally caught marine Hilsa from Digha and Diamond Harbour, alongside imports from Myanmar and Gujarat. However, with local catch rates also remaining low this year, festive plates across Kolkata will notably miss the iconic flavor of the Padma variety.

Source: The Telegraph India