Nearly 350 tonnes of Indian hilsa imported through Benapole land port in two months

Nearly 350 tonnes or 352,786 kg of Indian hilsa has been imported through Benapole land port in Jessore in the first two months (July and August) of the current 2026-27 fiscal year. Of this, 29,440 kg arrived in July and 323,346 kg in August alone.

According to the Benapole Fisheries Quarantine Office, three importer firms brought in 29,440 kg of hilsa in July. In the following month 19 firms imported 323,346 kg. Altogether 22 firms brought hilsa through the port in the two months.

Fisheries Quarantine Office inspector Ashwadul Alam said the declared value of the hilsa imported in the two months was Tk 6 crore 92 lakh 94 thousand 510. The value of the fish imported in July was Tk 35 lakh 48 thousand 796. The value of the hilsa imported in August was shown as Tk 6 crore 57 lakh 45 thousand 714.

The import of hilsa through Benapole has increased the supply of the fish in markets of Benapole, Sharsha, Bagachara, Navaran and Jessore’s big market among other areas. Although many local traders call these fish ‘Myanmar hilsa’, Fisheries Quarantine officials said the hilsa coming through Benapole is Indian. Myanmar hilsa enters the country through Chittagong port.

Traders said the imported hilsa is comparatively larger in size but is being sold at a much lower price than local hilsa. At present local hilsa weighing 1 kg 200 to 300 grams is selling at Tk 3,300 to Tk 3,400 per kg. In contrast, foreign hilsa weighing 1 kg 300 to 400 grams is priced at around Tk 1,400.

Meanwhile, buyers have alleged that the imported fish is being sold as local hilsa. They claimed that as the appearance is almost the same it is difficult to identify foreign hilsa. As a result buyers are being misled on one hand, while traders of local hilsa are also suffering losses due to the cheaper foreign fish on the other.

Jessore district fisheries officer Monirul Mamun said although regular monitoring is being carried out in the market, the scope for taking direct action under the fisheries law against the sale of imported fish as local hilsa is limited. However, assistant director of the National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate Md Selimuzzaman said imported hilsa must be sold under its correct identity. The matter will be examined and necessary measures will be taken.