The Eid festival is over. Now, Bengalis will bid farewell to the old Bengali year and welcome the new year. That is why preparations are being made for various events around the first day of Baishakh, including the Mangal Shobhajatra, eating panta-hilsa. Every year, the value of hilsa increases around this traditional festival.
As usual, there is a demand for Hilsa in the market this time too. However, the supply is less compared to that. That is why the price is high.
Fish traders say that the demand for fish has increased a lot around Eid and Pahela Baishakh. But the supply is very low compared to that. Because less hilsa is being caught now than at other times. That is why the supply in the market is low, resulting in high prices.
After visiting and searching some markets in the capital, it has been found that large-sized hilsa are not very common. Hilsa weighing 500 to 600 grams costs 1,000 to 1,100 taka per kg, hilsa weighing 700 to 750 grams costs 1,200 to 1,300 taka, and hilsa weighing 800 to 850 grams costs 1,400 to 1,500 taka. However, even if you can find hilsa weighing one kilogram in one or two shops, the price will be over 2,000 taka. However, if you bargain, you can get hilsa of all types of weights at a discount of 30-40 taka per kg.
Since the Eid holiday coincides with the Pahela Boishakh holiday, everyone has a long holiday. Many people have gone out of Dhaka on this occasion. Dhaka is now largely empty. Most of the markets have not opened their shops. As a result, the hustle and bustle of selling and buying Hilsa is not as noticeable as during Pahela Boishakh. Still, the price has not decreased.
Saidul Hasan, a wholesaler at Karwan Bazar fish shop, said that there is less fish being caught in the river. Moreover, many traders have now moved to the villages. Due to this, there is less fish coming in. On the other hand, the price of hilsa always increases during Pahela Boishakh. All things considered, the hilsa market can be said to be quite high now.
