Lifting of hilsa ban depends on meeting local demand

Fisheries and Livestock Minister M Sayedul Haq on Tuesday said the ban on hilsa export will be lifted only when the local demand is met. The minister said this when he was asked to clear government’s position about the proposal from India to lift the ban on hilsa export by Bangladesh. Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran on January 22 met the Fisheries Minister at his office and requested to lift the ban on hilsa export from Bangladesh. Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on the same day told reporters that formal export of hilsa will be better than the smuggling of the delicious fish. The government on July 31, 2012 imposed the ban on hilsa export to keep its prices at an affordable level in the local market, according to UNB.