It is April 15—Poila Boishakh for Bengalis—living across the globe. Poila Boishakh, like many other states in India which observe Baisakhi, Bihu, Vishu among others, marks the first day of the Hindu New Year. But Poila Boishakh—the Bengali new year has an international dimension across the eastern border.
The day is celebrated with gusto in West Bengal as well as Bangladesh and is a binding force for all Bengalis cutting across the international border and religious lines.
For Bengalis, celebrations are rarely complete without food which includes a variety of dishes along with fish, which preferably has to be “ilish”—Hilsa.
Naturally for fish sellers in West Bengal, this is one opportunity, to jack up prices for “Bangladeshi Ilish”—considered far superior in taste than the fish which is available locally.
People familiar with the culture would know the importance of “Padmar Ilish” (Hilsa coming from Bangladesh’s Padma river) and “Gangar Ilish” (the fish which is sourced from Ganges). A never-ending debate over which is better has continued since the partition of India.
“Poila Boisakh as it's called is celebrated with equal fervour – though it has religious significance attached – as in with the Bengali Hindu calendar. What binds the two sides, is the celebrations – which inevitably surrounds food. Though the official ilish season starts in Bangladesh much earlier, in West Bengal, Poila Boisakh is when the new season fish starts appearing in the market,” Sandip Ghose, a political observer and commentator said.
Hilsa diplomacy
It was a relief for West Bengal when the Sheikh Hasina government last year in September decided to send 1,475 tonnes of hilsa to India as a goodwill gesture to coincide with the Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal.
After banning exports of Hilsa to India in 2012, Bangladesh allowed shipment of the fish in 2018. The ban, imposed after the West Bengal government refused to give a go ahead to the Teesta river water sharing treaty, created a stir in the state.
The issue has even been raised in the state legislative assembly.
“Bangladesh has stopped supply of Hilsa for some time. I understand they are sad as we could not give them water from the Teesta,” Mamata Banerjee, the state’s chief minister said in 2019.
Until then the Bangladesh government frequently sent Hilsa to senior political leaders and diplomats here as a goodwill gesture.
Needless to say therefore that the ban on Hilsa imports hit West Bengal and the overall Bengali community.
Banerjee had to assure the people of West Bengal that the state government was committed to breeding Hilsa which would be of the same level in richness and taste that of the Bangladesh variety. In fact, with the aim of producing high quality fish breed, the West Bengal government even set up a Hilsa preservation and research centre.
“If we are successful with our research on Hilsa production, then Bengal would supply Hilsa to the world market,” The Telegraph quoted Banerjee as saying.
Sumggling of Hilsa
Despite the ban, Hilsa has continued to come into India through the borders albeit through informal channels.
“This is a function of demand and supply, there are hundreds of fish traders who deal with Hilsa which are brought in through informal channels. The same fish is sold at exorbitant prices in Kolkata and other cities,” a fish dealer said.
A CUTS International report noted that restrictions on the import of Hilsa from Bangladesh into India have not succeeded in reducing consumer demand for the fish in the country. “Ironically, restrictions increased the demand-supply gap for Hilsa. Given that both India and Bangladesh share a long and porous border, trade-in Hilsa through informal channels have flourished. It is estimated that the volume of informal trade is twice the volume of formal trade between India and Bangladesh,” the report said.
