Hilsa from India’s Gujarat has made an unusual journey into Bangladesh’s fish markets, but consumers and traders say the cheaper import is struggling against the taste, aroma and texture of the country’s prized Padma ilish, ThePrint reported.

Tonnes of hilsa from Gujarat’s Narmada region have entered Bangladesh in recent months as domestic supply tightened, with some traders allegedly selling the imported fish as Bangladeshi hilsa, according to the Indian news outlet.

Bangladesh halted hilsa imports from India on September 23, cancelling 103 no-objection certificates issued to importers.

Between July 20 and September 20, around 553 tonnes of hilsa entered Bangladesh through the Benapole land port, ThePrint reported.

But the Gujarat fish appears to have disappointed Bangladeshi consumers accustomed to local hilsa.

Dhaka resident Narayan Chandra told ThePrint that he bought two 800-gram hilsa for 1,200 taka each, believing he was getting the familiar local fish.

The difference became apparent in the kitchen. The pieces broke apart while being fried in mustard oil and lacked the flavour he associated with Bangladeshi ilish.

“Was it Gujarat’s hilsa or an old fish? It did not taste like Bangladesh ilish,” Chandra told ThePrint.

His family eventually abandoned plans for hilsa curry and instead used the fish to make bharta.

A Dhaka fish market owner told ThePrint that some consumers bought Gujarat hilsa after sellers allegedly presented it as Padma hilsa.

“It is cheap and bigger in size, but when it comes to taste, it is nowhere near Bangladesh hilsa,” the trader said.

Consumers outside Dhaka reported a similar experience.

Alamgir Patwary, a Chandpur resident, said he could distinguish the imported fish despite a seller claiming it was Bangladeshi.

“Gujarat hilsa looks like it has come from the sea. It lacks the sweetness,” he told ThePrint.

The Bangladesh Marine Fishery Association has alleged that Gujarat hilsa continued entering the country through unauthorised routes even after the government stopped imports.

Sheikh Abid Hussain, secretary of the association, claimed around 75 tonnes entered through the Sundarbans border area on Wednesday. ThePrint said it could not establish exactly when Gujarat hilsa first began appearing in Bangladeshi markets.

The imported fish has reportedly been found across several major markets in Dhaka.

The cross-border flow marks an unusual reversal in the hilsa trade.

Bangladesh has traditionally been the region’s best-known source of hilsa and has periodically allowed exports to India, particularly ahead of Durga Puja. This year, however, a weak domestic catch prompted traders to look towards Gujarat, where catches from the Narmada have expanded.

Price was one of the attractions.

A major Dhaka wholesaler identified as Das told ThePrint that Gujarat hilsa was being sold for around 1,200 taka per kilogram.

But taxes and other charges amounted to roughly 250 taka per kilogram, leaving retailers with little room for profit, he said.

Das, who has worked in the trade for nearly two decades, said he had never previously seen western Indian hilsa entering Bangladesh at such a scale.

He chose not to sell it.

For Bangladeshi consumers, the bigger issue appears to be what happens after the fish reaches the frying pan.

Chandra recalled buying hilsa from Chandpur for around 2,000 taka per kilogram two years ago.

“That fish did not require extra oil,” he told ThePrint. “Once it was fried in hot oil, the entire area would know hilsa was being cooked.”

The Gujarat variety, he said, could not produce the same result.

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