Fish importers from Calcutta have written to Bangladesh’s ministry of foreign affairs in Dhaka, requesting them to allow export of “Padma-r ilish” ahead of Durga Puja.

Durga Puja will be celebrated from September 28 to October 2.

In a letter to Touhid Hassan, adviser, foreign affairs ministry, Bangladesh, the importers wrote: “Last September, Bangladesh had allowed the export of 2,420 tonnes of hilsa. But, only 577 tonnes of the silvery crop could be exported due to time constraints.”

“Almost every year, we fail to consume the full quantity of hilsa fish due to the reason that export permits are time-bound. The entire quantity has to be exported within 30-45 days,” the letter states.

Fish importers said that they have requested not to set a specific time for the export.

“We have requested them to grant early permission to hilsa exporters,” said Syed Anwar Maqsood, secretary, Fish Importers’ Association.

The letter was sent on Tuesday, over a month after the ban on fishing of hilsa and other varieties of fish in Bangladesh ended on June 11.