The first shipment of 19 tons of ilish left Barisal for India on Wednesday evening after the government allowed exporting the fish.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Commerce allowed the export of 3,950 tons of ilish to India.
This decision coincides with Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community.
As per the government decision, 79 exporters were allowed to export ilish. They can export 50 tons of ilish within October 30.
Five exporters - Mahima Enterprise, Tanisha Enterprise, Masfi Enterprise, AR Enterprise and Sea Gold from the Barisal were allowed to export 50 tons of ilish each.
As part of the move, Mahima and Tanisha Enterprises jointly exported 19 tons of ilish to India from their warehouses in the Barisal city on Wednesday, said Barisal Matsya Arotdar Association’s General Secretary Nirob Hossain Tutul, also owner of Mahima Enterprise.
He said the first consignment of the ilish will arrive in India through Jessore’s Benapole Land Port on Thursday morning.
Lauding the government’s initiative to export the ilish officially, fish trader Jahir Sikdar said the smuggling of the national fish will reduce and availability of the fish will also increase at the local markets once export permission is given.
He said a good quantity of the fish is smuggled to India through Jessore, Satkhira and Agartala regularly due to lack of monitoring.
