Farida Akhter, adviser to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, has said hilsa is being sent to India for Durga Puja at India's request, not under any pressure. Out of courtesy and in response to the request, 1,200 tonnes of hilsa have been approved for India this year for Durga Puja, less than half of last year's amount, she said.

She also said 11,000 tonnes of hilsa have been approved for Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries in response to demands from expatriate Bangladeshis.

The adviser was speaking to journalists on 15 September after a meeting with the district fisheries and livestock departments, private organisations, women farmers and local NGO officials in the conference room of the Kurigram deputy commissioner's office.

"This year hilsa production is down because of the killing of jatka, so supply to the market has fallen. But this month an initiative has been taken to sell hilsa at affordable prices in some parts of the country," Farida Akhter said.

She added that livestock in four districts, including Sirajganj, Pabna and Manikganj, would be fully vaccinated to free them of lumpy skin disease (LSD).

Present were Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Sifat Mehnaz, Civil Surgeon Dr Swapan Kumar Biswas, district fisheries officer Moktadir Khan, district livestock officer Dr Habibur Rahman, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) deputy director Abdullah Al Mamun and Additional Superintendent of Police Masud Rana, among other officials.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.