Dhaka: The government has launched an initiative to sell Hilsha fish at reduced prices under the ‘Selling Hilsha Fishes at Fair Price Programme’ to make this national delicacy more accessible to the general public. Priced at Taka 600 per kilogram, the programme aims to alleviate the financial burden on consumers.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) and the Bangladesh Marine Fisheries Association (BMFA), a non-governmental entity, are collaborating to implement this programme. The announcement was made via an official release, highlighting the joint efforts of these organizations.
The programme was inaugurated by fisheries and livestock adviser Farida Akhter, who served as the chief guest at a Hilsha fish sale event held at BFDC Bhaban in Kawran Bazar. During the inauguration, Akhter emphasized the government’s commitment to making the fish affordable for ordinary citizens. She acknowledged the initiative’s limitations but assured efforts to expand it.
Operating under the slogan ‘Be blessed by purchasing Ilish which is incomparable in taste and aroma,’ the programme aims to reduce prices by eliminating middlemen from the supply chain. Akhter expressed hopes of proving that Hilsha, known as the ‘King fish,’ can be sold at lower rates when sourced directly from its origin.
The event was chaired by BFDC Chairman Surayya Akhtar Jahan and attended by notable figures such as BMFA’s president Enam Chowdhury, additional secretary Syeda Nawara Jahan, BFDC’s director Adiyto Chandra Das, and others from related organizations.