Hilsha production and marketing
Monday, 9 July 2007
Bilkis Nahar
We appreciate the government's step to ban the export of hilsha for next six months for the cause of local consumers. For this initiative, it can now be expected that people would be able to buy this delicious fish of our coastal belts within their reach and enjoy its taste like before. But the media reports which hinted that there might be a possibility of money laundering centering export of the hilsa should not spare without proper investigation. This issue needs to take into account seriously for saving our national pride in strong hand.
There was an expectation among the people that price of hilsha would be much lower this year than those of the previous years because of taking some successful measures to prevent indiscriminate catching of Jatka. A good quantity of big size hilsha have reportedly been netted from the coastal rivers and deep sea but its price level has remained as high as it was before. For mysterious reasons, the price of hilsha went beyond the purchasing level of common people.
So we expect that the government would give due importance to not only the breeding of hilsa species but also its proper marketing for ensuring its consumption locally and internationally. Majority people of our country have long been deprived of enjoying the genuine taste of hilsha because of these reasons. When the government has successfully been able to protect the hilsha breeding, we expect that it will now be able to stop illegal business centering the export of our valuable national asset. Temporary banning of hilsha export can improve the overall situation but it would not be able to stop its smuggling out from the country in the future. There is a need to do more by chalking out a long-term plan so that local consumers are not deprived of its availability at cheaper price and, as well, the nation can earn foreign currency from its export after meeting national demand.
We appreciate the government's step to ban the export of hilsha for next six months for the cause of local consumers. For this initiative, it can now be expected that people would be able to buy this delicious fish of our coastal belts within their reach and enjoy its taste like before. But the media reports which hinted that there might be a possibility of money laundering centering export of the hilsa should not spare without proper investigation. This issue needs to take into account seriously for saving our national pride in strong hand.
There was an expectation among the people that price of hilsha would be much lower this year than those of the previous years because of taking some successful measures to prevent indiscriminate catching of Jatka. A good quantity of big size hilsha have reportedly been netted from the coastal rivers and deep sea but its price level has remained as high as it was before. For mysterious reasons, the price of hilsha went beyond the purchasing level of common people.
So we expect that the government would give due importance to not only the breeding of hilsa species but also its proper marketing for ensuring its consumption locally and internationally. Majority people of our country have long been deprived of enjoying the genuine taste of hilsha because of these reasons. When the government has successfully been able to protect the hilsha breeding, we expect that it will now be able to stop illegal business centering the export of our valuable national asset. Temporary banning of hilsha export can improve the overall situation but it would not be able to stop its smuggling out from the country in the future. There is a need to do more by chalking out a long-term plan so that local consumers are not deprived of its availability at cheaper price and, as well, the nation can earn foreign currency from its export after meeting national demand.