UNB, Dhaka :Citizens here on Wednesday voiced concern over the government move to lift the ban on hilsa export, claiming it will shoot up the price in the local market.Addressing a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club, they observed that the export of the most coveted fish of the country will lead to a shorter supply in the domestic market, and will knock up the price which the lower and the middle income sections of society will not able to afford.The human chain was organised by National Awami Party (NAP-Bhasani).Speaking on the occasion, NAP-Bhasani president Moktab Ahmed Bhasani said, “We are expressing our concerns to the Commerce Minister that the export of hilsa will again increase its price in the local market like before the ban came to effect two years back.”Moktab Ahmed also demanded government action to stop the huge smuggling of hilsa from Bangladesh.Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on January 22 told reporters that formal export of hilsa will be better than the smuggling of the delicious fish.Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran on the same day called on Fisheries and Livestock Minister Muhammed Sayedul Hoque and requested to lift the ban on hilsa export from Bangladesh. The government on July 31, 2012 imposed the ban on hilsa export to keep its prices at an affordable level in the local market.Moktab said, “The national income by exporting hilsa was only about Tk 300 crore, as it stood 3-4 years back, while the price we paid for it was that we could not afford to buy one hilsa even at Tk 500.”The people of this soil have the right to have hilsa on their palates at a fair, affordable price, he said.Meanwhile, Deshpremik Janogoner Mancha, a citizen’s platform, organised a press briefing at its office at Paribagh area to protest the government move to lift the ban on hilsa export.Reading out a position paper, titled ‘No to Export of Hilsa to India’, Mancha chairman M Inamul Haque said the withdrawal of ban on hilsa export will provide more scope for the smuggling that has been rampant over the years.
