The Ministry of Commerce took the decision to sell ilish to India, according to Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter.

"Ilish is still not in the mail. It's merely a choice. Consequently, there is no justification for a rise in the price of ilish on the domestic market," she stated in answer to inquiries from the media following a Sunday meeting at the Secretariat.

"The nation has produced over 500,000 tons of ilish," Farida Akhter continued. The choice has been made to export three thousand tons. The exact amount that will be exported is still unknown."

She added that there is no relationship between Puja and the export. "The Ministry of Commerce has been in communication with traders from Kolkata."

"The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has no involvement in the ilish export to India. My stance remains the same - the people of our country must be served ilish first, and only then should we consider exports. However, if the price of the fish rises after the export, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will take action,” she added.

The Ministry of Commerce has granted approval for the export of 3,000 tons of ilish to India.

This announcement was made in a press release issued by the Ministry of Commerce on Saturday.

However, the release did not specify the price for the exported ilish. In 2023, 5,000 tons of ilish were exported for Durga Puja.