Govt to sell Hilsha at Taka 600 per kg

In an effort to make the national fisheries accessible to the general public, the government has taken the initiative to sell Hilsha fish at reduced costs under the “Selling Hilsha Fishes at Fair Price Programme.”Under the scheme, it will be offered for sale for 600 Taka per kilogram.

“Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) and Bangladesh Marine Fisheries Association (BMFA), a non-government outfit, are working jointly to implement the programme”, said an official release here today.

Earlier, fisheries and livestock adviser Farida Akhter inaugurated the programme as the chief guest while attending in Hilsha or Ilish (in bengali) selling in lower price held in front of BFDC Bhaban at city’s Kawran Bazar on Sunday.

“The government is trying to keep price of the fish within the purchasing capacity of the people so that  the common people can afford it. It is a very small initiative and I know all of you would not be pleased with it and we will try to do more for the people”, said the adviser while inaugurating the programme.

“Be blessed by purchasing Ilish which is incomparable in taste and aroma” is the program’s motto (Swade- Gondhe Atulonio Illish Kine Hon Dhonnyo).

It is impossible to lower the price of other fish, including Ilish, under the current marketing structure, she added, but it is conceivable to lower the price of Ilish if the middlemen’s monopoly is removed from the market.

However, if we can deliver the King fish straight from the site of origin to the selling location, we would like to investigate whether the price may be lowered, she continued.

 “We want to start a process of elimination of middlemen chain from the market”, Farida mentioned.

The program was chaired by BFDC Chairman Surayya Akhtar Jahan and attended by a number of people, including BMFA President Enam Chowdhury, Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Additional Secretary Syeda Nawara Jahan, BFDC Director Adiyto Chandra Das, Deputy Director of Fisheries and Livestock Information Department Umme Habiba, BMFA Director Taisir Khan, BMFA Secretary Abid Hossen, and President Molla Shamsur Rahman Shahin of the Fish Farm Owners Association (FOAB).