UNB :
Once a weekend staple in Bangladeshi households, the country’s beloved national fish hilsa has become a luxury item for many, with prices surging by nearly 50per cent over the past year.
A recent report by the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC) found that between August and September, hilsa prices jumped by Tk200–500 per kilogram, while larger fish saw an increase of nearly Tk1,000 per kg.
Just a year ago, a 1.5 kg hilsa cost around Tk2,000 per kg. Today, the same fish sells for as high as Tk3,000, making it increasingly unaffordable for middle-income families.
A walk through Dhaka’s busy kitchen markets tells the story clearly hilsa, once a common sight, now appears only sporadically.
The government’s annual 22-day fishing ban to protect spawning hilsa has further tightened supply, pushing prices higher just before and after the restriction period.
“Every year before the ban, buyers rush to stock up on hilsa, and that drives the price up automatically,” said Enamul, a fish trader at Shantinagar market.
At Karwan Bazar, another vendor added that even though the supply chain isn’t disrupted, rising wholesale rates force retailers to increase prices.
Many shoppers question why prices don’t drop even after the fishing ban supposedly helps increase production.
“If production rises, prices should logically go down but the opposite happens. Right after the ban ends, prices shoot up again,” said Arif Hossain, a frustrated buyer in Dhaka.
For families like Shagufta Akter Lipi’s, hilsa has become a rare indulgence.
“Hilsa is our national fish it should be affordable for everyone. But now it’s only for the rich,” she lamented.
While consumers pay more than ever, the fishermen themselves earn very little.
In Bhola, the country’s largest hilsa-producing district, most fishermen work on leased boats or take advance loans from middlemen, known locally as dadon.
“Our share is tiny. After paying off the dadon money, we’re left with almost nothing,” said veteran fisherman Khalek Majhi.
According to the BTTC study, a large hilsa that earns a fisherman Tk800 per kg is sold in Dhaka markets for Tk3,000 per kg a 275per cent increase through layers of middlemen and market markups.
The study shows that hilsa typically changes hands five times from fishermen to landing stations, wholesalers, commission agents, retailers, and finally, the buyer. Each step adds cost and profit margins, driving up prices.
Experts point to syndicate control and cold storage hoarding as major reasons behind artificial price hikes.
“Prices rise naturally by 60–70per cent through the supply chain, but manipulation by syndicates makes it even worse,” said Dr. Sabbir Hossain Khan, an agricultural economist and PhD researcher at the Tokyo University of Agriculture.
To bring prices down and ensure fair returns for fishermen, the BTTC has suggested cutting down on intermediaries. Recommendations include empowering fishermen’s cooperatives and setting up government-run outlets to sell hilsa directly to consumers during peak season.
Experts believe such measures could help balance the market ensuring that fishermen earn fair wages, and the prized hilsa once again becomes a meal for all, not just a luxury for a few.
