Writ seeking to stop Hilsa export to India
The writ also sought directives to declare the inaction of respondents to stop Hilsa exports, illegal
A lawyer on Tuesday filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking directives to permanently stop the export of Hilsa to India from Bangladesh.
Lawyer Mahmudul Hassan filed the writ with the High Court.
The secretary of commerce, secretary of fisheries and livestock, secretary of foreign affairs, secretary of civil aviation and tourism, chairman of the National Board of Revenue, chief controller of the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports, and chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, were made respondents to the writ.
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The writ also sought directives to declare illegal the inaction of the respondents to stop Hilsa exports.
Mahmudul Hassan told the media the writ may be heard this week by a High Court bench.
Earlier, he had sent a legal notice to the concerned authorities on 11 September, requesting necessary action within seven days to permanently stop the export of Hilsa to India.
Mahmud said he filed the writ when the authorities did not take any steps to stop Hilsa exports within the time period mentioned in the legal notice.
The notice said Hilsa is the national fish of Bangladesh, but the poor of the country cannot think of buying it due to the high price. Even the middle class of the country struggles to buy Hilsa, on average priced at Tk1,000-1,200 per kg.
The notice also said it is very unfortunate that the Ministry of Commerce has allowed the export of Hilsa to India without considering the needs of the people of the country. As a result the price of Hilsa has increased locally in Bangladesh. What is sadder is that Hilsa is being exported to India at a lower price than the market price in Bangladesh.
Hilsa is not a freely exportable product according to the Bangladesh Export Policy 2021-24. The commerce ministry has allowed the export of Hilsa to India completely unjustly, ignoring the public interest, the notice said.
Sending the notice, the lawyer said, "Despite the people's demand, the commerce secretary allowed the export of Hilsa on 4 September. Due to the export of Hilsa to India, the price of Hilsa is increasing in the country's markets."
