# The hilsa black market and politics

> How hilsa, Bangladesh's national fish, became a tool of smuggling, diplomacy and politics, and why ordinary people now struggle to afford it.

Published: 2026-10-06 · Desk: Latest · Source: TezzFeed Desk · By: Aminul Islam

The story has a genuinely strange angle because when Bangladesh restricted hilsa exports to India in 2024, reports emerged of smugglers moving the fish across the border because demand in West Bengal remained extremely high particularly around Durga Puja. Indian border forces reported intercepting illegal shipments.

Even during an earlier export ban in 2012, hilsa was reportedly being smuggled across the Bangladesh and India border through both land and waterways. Authorities seized shipments but the illegal trade continued because the price difference created an obvious incentive.

Sheikh Hasina's government famously used hilsa as a diplomatic gesture towards India including sending hilsa to Indian political figures.

Then came the Teesta controversy when Bangladesh stopped exporting hilsa to India in 2012, during a period when the Teesta water sharing agreement was stuck. When West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee later visited Bangladesh and asked for hilsa exports to resume, Hasina reportedly responded with the memorable line: “Hilsa will go if Teesta water comes.”

After her government fell in 2024, the interim government initially refused to export hilsa for Durga Puja arguing that Bangladeshis should be able to afford their own national fish first but within weeks, the government reversed course and approved 3000 tonnes for India.

The really interesting part is that even legal exports can become politically controversial. In 2025, Bangladesh approved 1200 tonnes for India during Durga Puja with a minimum export price of $12.50 per kilogram but only 145 tonnes were eventually exported because domestic hilsa prices were so high and supply was so limited.

Prothom Alo reported allegations that some exporters could be making money through informal hundi transactions because hilsa was reportedly being sold domestically at prices higher than the government's minimum export price. The report estimated that the price difference across the approved 1200 tonne quota could amount to around Tk 31.56 crore if such transactions occurred across the entire shipment. 

How did Bangladesh's favourite fish become something that governments regulate and ordinary people sometimes struggle to afford? For fishermen, traders and ordinary buyers, the issue is mostly about money. For governments, it is about controlling supply and protecting the fish population, for West Bengal hilsa is deeply tied to Bengali food culture and for politicians, it can become a surprisingly useful symbol of friendship or disagreement.

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