Rajshahi, Oct 10 (V7N)- In a new initiative aimed at making the country's beloved hilsa fish more accessible to low-income groups, cut hilsa fish is now being sold in Rajshahi. The sale was inaugurated on Thursday morning by the leaders of the Rajshahi Traders Oikya Parishad and the Fishermen's Association at the city's Sahib Bazar, where buyers eagerly lined up to purchase smaller portions of the prized fish.

Hilsa, a delicacy in Bangladeshi cuisine, has seen its prices skyrocket in recent years, making it out of reach for many. However, this initiative, which allows buyers to purchase as little as 250 grams of cut hilsa, has brought the fish back within reach for those with tighter budgets. Despite the excitement, the price of cut hilsa comes at a premium—Tk 200 more per kilogram than whole hilsa—due to the additional processing.

Shahidul Islam, one of the buyers, expressed his delight at being able to finally afford hilsa. "I haven’t been able to buy hilsa fish due to the high prices, but now I can. Though the price is still high, at least I can taste it," he said.

Entaz Ali, another customer, purchased three portions for himself and his neighbors, sharing that the cost of each fish was around Tk 500. He expressed his satisfaction with being able to bring home hilsa for the first time in a long while.

According to Mobarak Hossain, a fish seller at the market, there has been a strong demand for the cut fish on the first day, with many customers opting to buy smaller portions rather than whole fish. "Anyone can buy a whole fish if they want, but cut fish is very popular today. There's a slight premium for cut fish, but it’s due to the processing involved," he explained.

Sekender Ali, the general secretary of the Rajshahi Businessmen's Coordination Council, shared that the initiative was started in response to public demand, particularly from those who had not been able to eat hilsa for years due to high prices. He noted the strong response on the first day, with 8-10 hilsa fish being sold within the first half-hour.

Ali also promised to keep monitoring the situation to ensure that cut hilsa remains available and that prices stay reasonable. He warned that action would be taken against any vendors who refuse to sell cut hilsa.

END/RA/AJ