Bangladesh struck, Durga Puja is incomplete without Hilsa
September 18, 20244 Mins Read

International Desk: In the Indian online media The Print, the decision to stop the export of hilsa to the country is seen as a 'hurt'. On the other hand, the report praised the 'Ilisha diplomacy' of Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India. Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reportedly reintroduced what is now called 'Hilsha Diplomacy' in 2019. Now, this is a bone of contention between India and Bangladesh. Bangladesh hit where we thought to hit. A month before Durga Puja, the export of Padma hilsa or hilsa has been banned in India. Hilsa is not only fish. This is one

Ilish

Both passion and an initiation ceremony. It's food that works in our minds – we have no choice but to savor the endless flavors of freshwater fish to understand its near-perfect texture.

And it is even more important during Durga Puja, West Bengal's biggest celebration. This is what Bengalis serve to open up their culinary side. For the most delicious food. Hilsa of Padma occupies the top spot. Even when Bangladesh banned fish exports to India, exceptions were usually made during festive seasons. It was former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who reintroduced what is now called 'Hilsha Diplomacy'. Since 2019, more than 1,000 tonnes of hilsa have been exported to India from the Padma River ahead of Durga Puja. Although others may not understand, this move by the interim government of Bangladesh is tantamount to denying the basic rights of Bengalis. From the Padma, a tributary of the Ganges River, the Bangladeshi hilsa is essential to Bengali puja food. This disruption of Hilsa diplomacy is likely to influence the Ghotis, and create a unity among the Bengalis from East Bengal.

Hilsa is a part of culture There is a joke in eastern India that when parents are upset about their daughters choosing husbands from West Bengal or neighboring states such as Assam and Odisha, they entertain their son-in-law with Hilsa. This is a test for acceptability—if the son-in-law is easily overwhelmed by the taste of hilsa, he is no longer lacking in esteem in the father-in-law's house.

A hilsa dish that everyone loves is steamed hilsa with mustard batter. When it was made at home, there was no rice left over or the rice was easily run out to satisfy the hilsa rasana or satiety. The reporter recalled these memories and said, 'My mother always gave a little extra rice, if there was hilsa.
There is also a very simple bhaja or fry of hilsa, which uses nothing but salt and turmeric. The root is fried in pungent mustard oil. The oil is also mixed with rice and fish. A green chili completes the meal.

Bangladesh's ban on hilsa exports to India is all the more devastating because hilsa is a seasonal fish, and people wait year-round for the best-tasting variety of this fish. And this peak season coincides with Durga Puja. The price of Hilsa fish – which ranges from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per kg – means that Indians wait for a special occasion to enjoy it. Hilsa is not only a delicious food but also closely related to the culture of Bengal. Pahela Baisakh or Bengali New Year is incomplete without panta bhaat or hilsa dish with fermented rice. In many Bengali Hindu families, hilsa is bought for puja at home. Some also offer it to Goddess Lakshmi. Puja is considered incomplete without fish. Hilsa is also a part of wedding rituals. It is gifted to the bride by the groom's family. And Durga Puja is the most important. Not only in Bengal, people of Assam and Tripura wait for the arrival of Padma Hilsa, so they wait for Goddess Durga.

This ban has been implemented due to low supply of hilsa. "We cannot allow hilsa to be exported when our own people cannot buy it," said Farida Akhter, adviser to Bangladesh's Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. Even the businessmen of West Bengal wrote to the interim government of Bangladesh asking them to withdraw the decision. What's the request denied? Of course, Hilsa is available in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, but they are of inferior quality. If you want to eat hilsa, you have to have hilsa from Padma. Anything else is just a consolation prize.