Hilsa Fish – Past , Present & Future

                                                       

                                       Hilsa  Fish – Past , Present & Future

Hilsa fish  (Scientific name: Tenualosa ilisha, Higher classification: Tenualosa) is the national fish of Bangladesh . It is  much coveted to the countrymen but it  is going to lose its past glory  & status as it has become scarce and almost threatened  with extinction. The life –cycle of hilsh fish is complex. It is basically a sea fish. It comes to river basin to release its eggs especially in the Padma-Meghna-Jamuna delta at the Bay of Bengal.  Some illegal fish traffickers catch Jatka ( young hilsa fish)  with current net & sell them in the local market stealthily. Such type of  fish is popularly known as Jatka. How ever,  this is not the end to the story. The fish traders annually export fish to the neighbouring country  India which  has a great impact on the price hike on this much coveted fish in the local market. Now it is almost a dream for us to have a one KG weighted hilsa fish to gratify our  desire. And if available , the price is sky-rocketing. The common  poor people can not afford to buy it. So, it is an illusion for us  to eat  a delicious , oily hilsa fish. within our  purchasing capacity. Not only that, we are going to lose other species of fish in the near future. Many species of fish have already become extinct in our country. We are no more known as Muchhe Bhate Banglagee ( Rice & fish eating Bangalee). Our next generation will hear fairy tales of hilsa fish from their grand parents as we do from ours.