hilsa
Demand for salted hilsa up in north Bangladesh
Hilsa, despite being the national fish of Bangladesh, is mostly out of low-income people's reach, but they can savour the delectable taste of dried, salted hilsa as it is becoming popular in northern parts of the country due to its affordable price.
Every year, the workers at Chandpur Boro Station Fisheries Ghat process the unsold hilsa fish. They are now busy cutting up the fish and putting salt in them.
Dried salted hilsa or "nona ilish" is catching on in Mymensingh, Tangail, Kurigram, Sherpur and Manikganj districts, and demand is consistently up.
22-day ban on hilsa fishing begins tomorrow
At the fisheries ghat, many hilsa remain unsold as they go soft during the season. Some traders purchase these at average price and process them with salt. The dried salted fish are sold at Tk 900-1200 per kg.
The workers also separate the eggs from the fish, and the eggs are sold at Tk 2500-2600 per kg. Last year, per kg hilsa eggs were sold at Tk 1400.
173 tonnes of Hilsa exported to India in 3 days through Benapole port
Ramjan Bepari, a trader, said that he has been running his business for the past 30 years and every year, he comes from Mymensingh during the hilsa season and lives in the area.
He bought unsold hilsa, weighing between 700 and 1000 grams, from the wholesale market at a cost of Tk 700 to 800 per kg.
This year, he set a target to process 3000-3500 maunds of hilsa. This dried salted hilsa will remain edible for the next six months, he claimed.
Like Ramjan, many traders, including Anwar Hossain, Zakir Hossain and Chari Gazi, have come to Chandpur for the same purpose.
Some 100 women and 150 men are involved in processing hilsa fish. They are happy with the daily wages they get.
Delay ban on catching hilsa by a month: Barishal fishing community
Dr Anisur Rahman, a renowned hilsa expert at the Fisheries Research Institute in Chandpur, said that hilsa can be preserved with salt for six months.
Hilsa eggs can also be preserved the same way through ensuring the right temperature in the refrigerator.
Some 25-30 lakh people are now involved in processing hilsa fish, and they are earning profits.
22-day ban on hilsa fishing begins tomorrow
The government of Bangladesh is going to impose a 22-day ban on hilsa fishing from tomorrow (October 12).
Hilsa catching, selling and transportation will remain prohibited during the period to ensure the safe spawning of the national fish of Bangladesh during its peak breeding period.
The ban will remain in place till November 2.
On September 20, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim announced the 22-day ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting hilsa at a meeting of the National Task Force Committee on Hilsa Resource Development at the conference room of the Fisheries Department at Matsya Bhaban in Dhaka.
Delay ban on catching hilsa by a month: Barishal fishing community
The objective of the restrictions on fishing is to protect the mother hilsa which lay eggs during the period, he said.
Hilsa makes the highest contribution to the country’s fish output as a single fish species.
Recognized as a certified patented product of Bangladesh, the fish swim to rivers to lay eggs. Hilsa is very popular both in Bangladesh and West Bengal in India. About 75 percent of the world's hilsa is netted in Bangladesh.
Govt allows 3,950 tonnes of Hilsa export to India ahead of Durga Puja
Chandpur is considered one of the largest trading hubs of hilsa in Bangladesh as the fish from the Padma River is more popular than the ones that come from other rivers because of its distinct taste.
22-day ban on hilsa fishing to begin on Oct 12: Fisheries Minister
Despite ample supply, Hilsa still out of reach of the average buyer
The price of hilsa, a treat Bengalis look forward to during the monsoon, is still high despite ample supply in the wholesale markets of Chandpur district.
The national fish of Bangladesh is still out of reach of the average buyer.
During a recent visit to Chandpur Boro Station fisheries ghat, this correspondent found people busy loading and unloading hilsa as 2,000-2,500 maunds of the fish are coming from the southern districts of the country every day on average.
Read more: Hilsa Ilisha: The National Fish and Silver Pride of Bangladesh
Transportation of hilsa starts from 10 am till afternoon through trucks, pick-up vans and trawlers at the wholesale markets and some 500 workers in the ghat area are involved in loading and unloading the fish.
Hilsa, weighing 700-900 grams each, are of decent sizes too.
People from Dhaka’s Karwanbazar, Azampur, Abdullahpur, Uttara; Gazipur’s Tongi; Tangail; Kishoreganj; Jamalpur, Mymensingh; Sreemangal; and Sylhet come to the wholesale market in Chandpur and take hilsa via trucks and train.
One kg hilsa is being sold at Tk 1,500 while in the retail market it is being sold at Tk 1,800-2,000 and hilsa weighing 500-700 grams is being sold at Tk 900-1,100. The silver fish weighing 900 grams is being sold at Tk 1,400-1,500.
2-month ban on Hilsa fishing to end Sunday midnight
Chandpur wholesale market flooded with hilsa, price coming down
Price of the much sought after hilsa fish is coming down as the largest wholesale ‘Boro Station Market’ in Chandpur district is flooded with catches.
After the 65-day ban on fishing in the Bay ended on July 23, the Boro Station Market is abuzz with the presence of fishermen, traders and workers related to the fishing industry.
With complaints, Chandpur fishermen gear up to catch hilsa
Visiting the market recently, UNB’s Chandpur correspondent found a large number of fishing trawlers and trucks coming to the Fisheries Ghat carrying hilsa netted from the coastal areas of Bhola, Hatiya, Char Fashion, Laxmipur and adjacent areas.
Locals were busy loading and unloading the catches at the fisheries ghat.
Traders said a total of 500 maunds of fish reached the market, forcing them to lower the price of hilsa due to abundant supply.
2-month ban on Hilsa fishing to end Sunday midnight
One kg hilsa fish is being sold at Tk 1800 which was Tk 2200 before, while a fish weighing 500-750 grams is being sold at Tk 1200-1300 which was Tk 1500 before.
Bari Manik Jamadar, president of Fish Traders Association, Chandpur, said the supply of hilsa has increased over the last three days but not as much as in the previous year.
Some traders said some dishonest fishermen netted ‘jatka’ (fry), which negatively impacts the catches.
Cox’s Bazar fishermen rejoice as Bay swarms with Hilsa
Dr. Md Anisur Rahman, an expert in Chandpur Fisheries Research Institute, told UNB, “River water has degraded due to climate change, pollution and unabated sand lifting. We should save the rivers. Besides, the natural movement of fish has been disrupted due to the shoals.”
He also hoped for satisfactory catches of hilsa fish in the coming days during the full moon.
With complaints, Chandpur fishermen gear up to catch hilsa
The two-month ban on hilsa fishing — in the 70 km Padma-Meghna sanctuary area in Chandpur — imposed by the government to protect “jatka” (hilsa fry), will end at 12am tonight. With the ban lifted, fishermen are preparing to resume hilsa fishing.
Chandpur district has around 44,000 registered fishermen, and they will start fishing from Shatanal of Matlab Uttar upazila to Charbhairavi of Haimchar upazila.
However, fishermen have complained about the full implementation of the ban.
Also Read: 2-month ban on Hilsa fishing to end Sunday midnight
Majority of locals in Chandpur’s Padma-Meghna sanctuary area earn their living through fishing and farming.
After being unemployed for two months, fishermen have repaired their boats and nets in preparation for the resumption of fishing. Fishermen were seen busy repairing nets and boats in different areas of the district.
Some people come from different parts of the district just to repair nets at this time. However, fishermen fear that they will not get the expected amount of fish because fishermen from Munshiganj, Mohanpur, and Shariatpur areas kept catching jatka.
The fishing ban was not implemented properly, said Bahria area fisherman Shahjahan Khan.
Law enforcement needs to be tougher so that no fisherman can go to the river, he said.
Also Read: 29 fishermen punished in Chandpur for violating ban on catching Hilsa
The District Fisheries Officer, Golam Mehedi Hasan, said that the district and upazila task force continued to make every effort to implement the two-month ban to protect the national resource hilsa.
A total of 371 people were jailed from March 1 to April 28 for violating the law and were sentenced to various terms.
With a view to boost the production of hilsa, the government imposed the two-month ban on hilsa catching, selling, hoarding and transporting from March 1 till April 30. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock allocated 40 kg of rice for each registered fisherman during this ban period.
Hilsa has the highest contribution to the country's fish production as the single fish species. Every year, the government imposes a two-month ban on catching, selling, hoarding and transporting hilsa to boost production.
5 Nontraditional Biryani Recipes
Biryani is a mixed rice dish, originating among Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. Extremely popular across South Asia, similar dishes are also popular and prepared in other parts of the world including Iraq, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia. Usually, Biryani is prepared with spices (Indian), rice, and some type of red meat or chicken. It can also be cooked without red meat, with potatoes, eggs, and other vegetables. Let’s explore delectable nontraditional biryani recipes.
5 Healthy Biryani Recipes
Jackfruit Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup curd, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chili powder, 3 tbsp biryani masala, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp lemon juice, 4 tsp oil, 3 tbsp coriander (chopped), 3 tbsp mint (chopped), 12 pieces jackfruit (raw), 1 carrot (chopped), 1 potato (chopped), 5 beans (chopped), 2 tbsp fried barista, 2 tbsp ghee / clarified butter, 8 cubes capsicum, and 2 tbsp saffron milk.
Ingredients for biryani rice:
2 cup basmati rice, 3 bay leaves, 1 tsp pepper, ½ tsp cloves, 4 cardamoms, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 chilies, and 1 tbsp salt.
Read More: Unique Raw Mango Recipes for Summer 2023
Instructions
First, take a bowl and the curd, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chili powder, 3 tbsp biryani masala, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp oil, 3 tbsp coriander and 3 tbsp mint, the jackfruit, carrot, potato, beans, and 2 tbsp fried onions and combine well and keep in rest for about 30 minutes.
How to cook the rice for biryani:
First, clean the rice and soak it for 20 minutes. Boil water and the spice in a deep pot and then add lemon juice, chili, and 1 tbsp salt, soaked rice and cook for 2 minutes, or as long as the rice is cooked (almost).
Now take another deep pot and heat ghee and 2 tbsp oil and add 1 bay leaf, 1-inch cinnamon, 1 black cardamom, ½ tsp cloves, and 4 cardamoms. Then add 2 onions, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste capsicum, and cook for 2 minutes. Now add vegetables (marinated) until the vegetables become tender. Finally, layer the vegetables and the cooked rice evenly and top with 2 tbsp saffron milk, 2 tbsp coriander, 2 tbsp mint, 1 tsp biryani masala, and 2 tbsp ghee and keep in low heat for 30 minutes.
Read More: 8 Delectable Kabab Recipes for Bangladeshi Kitchen.
Vegetable Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice (soaked), 6 cardamoms, 4 cloves divided, 1 teaspoon salt, 2.5 tablespoon ghee, 2 medium red onion (thinly sliced), 2 tablespoons cashews (broken), 1 small potato cubed, 1/2 cup cauliflower, 1 medium carrot, 5-6 green beans, 2 tbsp saffron milk, 1-inch ginger (crushed), 4-5 garlic cloves (crushed), 2 green chilies, 1.5 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, 1/3 cup yogurt, 1.5 teaspoon biryani masala, 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons chopped mint, and 1.5 teaspoon rose water.
Cox’s Bazar fishermen rejoice as Bay swarms with Hilsa
The fishing community of Cox’s Bazar is very happy with business catching Hilsa in swarms. Fishing trawlers are returning to the shore full of Hilsa and other fish, bringing down the prices to a tolerable level.
Once deserted fish warehouses and markets of the district are now buzzing with fishermen, traders, and buyers from morning to night.
Visiting Cox’s Bazar Fisheries Landing Station, UNB found the place in a celebratory mood. After the onslaught of Cyclone Sitrang and a 22-day ban on Hilsa catching, hundreds of fishing trawlers are arriving at the station with tons of Hilsa every day.
Read More: With Hilsa catch declining, Bagerhat fishermen stare at penury
No one seems to have time for doing anything else at the landing station. Some were loading the fish into warehouses, some were breaking ice while others were arranging the fishes in baskets. Many traders were also seen sending truckloads of Hilsa consignments to different parts of the country after getting expected prices.
Hilsa fishing resumes as 22-day government ban ends
Hilsa catching, selling and transportation resumed on Saturday after a government ban for 22 days.
A total of 600 maunds of Hilsa came to Chandpur’s Bara Station Fish Ghat, the biggest Hilsa market of the country, from Hatia, Bhola, Charfasion and other coastal areas on trawlers and ships since this morning, A Bari Jamadar Manik, President of the Chandpur Fisheries Association, told UNB Chandour correspondent.
Besides, Hilsa from the confluence of the Padma and the Meghna rivers in Chandpur also arrived at the market in small amounts.
Visiting the market, UNB found that most of the Hilsa weighted 800 g to 900 g. A 900g Hilsa fish was selling at Tk 900, while 1kg and 2kg Hilsa were selling at a rate of Tk 1,100 to Tk 1,500.
Many people were seen buying fresh Hilsa and sending them off to various places across the country.
“I’m taking around 50-60 maunds of Hilsa to Jamalpur via Karwan Bazar, Tongi, Baipail and Gazipur on my truck,” said Azizul Haque, a truck driver.
The 22-day government ban on hilsa catching, selling, hoarding and transporting came into effect on October 7, with a view to boosting its production.
The ban covered hilsa sanctuaries in six districts -- Barishal, Chandpur, Laxmipur, Bhola, Shariatpur and Patuakhali.
During the ban, around 50,000 fishermen remained unemployed and were allocated 25kg of rice each, which was not enough for them, said local fishers.
Read: Chandpur fishermen gear up to catch hilsa as ban ends on Friday midnight
Taukir Ahmed, an official from the control room of the district fisheries office, said around 212 fishermen were sent to jail during the ban period in 178 cases.
Besides, 41,855 metres of current nets were seized and destroyed, said head of Chandpur Naval Police Mohammad Kamruzzaman.
Hilsa, the national fish of Bangladesh, is recognised as a certified patented product of Bangladesh. The marine fish goes to rivers in Bangladesh to lay eggs.
The fish is very popular both in Bangladesh and West Bengal. About 75 per cent of the world's hilsa is netted in Bangladesh.
Chandpur is considered one of the largest trading hubs of hilsa in Bangladesh as the fish from the Padma river is much more popular than the ones that come from other rivers.
Nearly 6 lakh people of Bangladesh are involved in catching hilsa directly while 20-25 lakh people are involved in transporting, selling and other activities indirectly.
Thanks to government initiatives, production of hilsa has increased to 5.65 lakh metric tonnes in 2020-21 fiscal year while it was 2.98 lakh metric tonnes in 2008-09 FY.
Last year, nearly 51.76 percent of mother hilsa were able to lay eggs during the ban period, boosting production and hilsa export to India.
Defying Hilsa ban: 8 fishermen get 14 days in jail each
A mobile court on Tuesday sentenced eight fishermen to 14 days in jail each, for catching the much-coveted Hilsa fish in defiance of a temporary, three-week ban imposed by the government – itself aimed at replenishing Hilsa stocks and making livelihoods around its survival more sustainable. the Padma and Meghan rivers in the district.
The court led by Hajiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Rashedul Islam also released two minor boys after taking a bond from their family in this connection, ARM Jahid Hasan, executive magistrate of the district administration, told reporters.
The convicts are Mohammad Jahangir, Yakub Bepari, Nurul Islam, Golam Mostafa, Md Rubel, Mahbub Bepari, Sajal Chandra Das and Nazrul Islam.
Read: Banned fishing nets worth over Tk 9 cr seized in Chandpur
Magistrate Jahid Hasan said a joint team comprising members of the district fisheries office, river police and the Coast Guard conducted raids in different spots of the Padma and Meghna rivers, both sanctuaries of the King of Fish, as Hilsa is known throughout Bengal, including India’s West Bengal.
Eventually police detained 10 individuals who were caught red-handed in the act of fishing with current nets.
Some 10,000 metres of fishing nets and an engine-run boat were also seized during the drive, he said, adding that the nets were later burnt.
Besides, illegally caught fish weighing over 13kg were distributed among the distressed and orphans, added the magistrate.
Soaring prices keep hilsa out of Khulna kitchens
When it comes to hilsa, the general rule is that you pay less during the rainy season than in winter.
But this year, even the incessant rains have failed to cool off the prices of the monsoon delicacy, at least in Khulna. In simple words, the gastronome's delight is no longer within the reach of the common people.
Officials attribute the sky high prices of hilsa to spiralling fuel rates and hoarding by unscrupulous fish traders.
Read Hilsa Ilisha: The National Fish and Silver Pride of Bangladesh
"The fishermen are reeling under the impact of spiralling prices of diesel that they need to run their trawlers. Also, those hoarding the fish in refrigerators are responsible for pushing up the prices of ilish," Joydeb Pal, the district fisheries officer, told UNB.
Agreed fishers. "The trawlers we use for fishing, and the trucks and mini trucks used for transportation are all diesel driven. So, the fuel price hike has directly impacted us," said Belayet Mir a fisherman from Barguna.
Some fish traders, however, claimed that the prices of hilsa have gone up in the wake of the government giving 49 business units permission to export 2,400 metric tonnes of hilsa to India for the upcoming Durga puja.
Read: With Hilsa catch declining, Bagerhat fishermen stare at penury
Sheikh Saidul Islam, a fish trader, said, “Due to the government’s multipurpose plan, the production of hilsa has increased. But its prices vary as per the market demand."