Fish export to India through the Akhaura land port in Brahmanbaria has been suspended due to complications over certification from the Fisheries Department.
Traders said the unresolved issue could cut export earnings by at least Tk1.5 crore each day.
According to officials and traders, 50–70 tonnes of frozen fish are exported daily to India through the Akhaura land port.
Local varieties such as Rui, Catla, Pangas, Tilapia and Pabda are exported at a rate of $2.5 per kilogram.
The Fisheries Department issues mandatory certificates for fish exports. The certificates were issued manually, but the National Board of Revenue (NBR) ordered that the process be shifted online from November 13.
As the Fisheries Department has yet to make this transition, exporters have been unable to submit their bills of entry since Thursday, forcing a complete halt in fish exports.
Faruk Ahmed, general secretary of the Akhaura Land Port Fish Exporters’ Association, said: “As the Fisheries Department did not act on the NBR directive to digitise the certification system, traders are now paying the price. Until the problem is resolved, fish exports worth at least Tk1.5 crore will be disrupted every day, causing the government to lose revenue,” he said.
Akhaura Upazila Fisheries Extension Officer Rezaul Karim said they were unaware of the NBR directive.
“We learned about it on Wednesday and have already applied for online access. We have now received our user ID and password. Once traders complete the required online registration, fish exports will resume if the issue is resolved,” he added.
