Fish of discord: ‘Hilsa diplomacy’ in indo-Bangladesh relations, 1950–2024
By: Ghosh, Aryama
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Material type: 
BookPublisher: Economic & Political Weekly Description: 60(36), Sep 6, 2025: p.52-58.
In:
Economic & Political WeeklySummary: The interim Government of Bangladesh has temporarily banned hilsa fish exports to India, contradicting Sheikh Hasina’s “Hilsa Diplomacy.” This prompts a reconsideration of the diplomatic significance of the Bengali hilsa amid environmental, political, and cultural contexts. The hilsa population has been declining since the early 1900s due to anthropogenic activities such as dam construction. Rather than focusing on habitat preservation, the Indian fisheries department has prioritised hilsa hatcheries repeatedly. The post-Partition hostility, adversarial water politics, and trade restrictions ultimately intensified the political tensions surrounding hilsa fish between West Bengal and Bangladesh. Hasina’s Hilsa Diplomacy has turned the issue into soft power diplomacy, rather than offering a sustainable solution to the dwindling hilsa population or promoting a coordinated transregional fishing policy. – Reproduced
https://www.epw.in/journal/2025/36/special-articles/fish-discord.html
| Item type | Current location | Call number | Vol info | Status | Date due | Barcode |
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Articles
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Indian Institute of Public Administration | 60(36), Sep 6, 2025: p.52-58 | Available | AR137403 |
The interim Government of Bangladesh has temporarily banned hilsa fish exports to India, contradicting Sheikh Hasina’s “Hilsa Diplomacy.” This prompts a reconsideration of the diplomatic significance of the Bengali hilsa amid environmental, political, and cultural contexts. The hilsa population has been declining since the early 1900s due to anthropogenic activities such as dam construction. Rather than focusing on habitat preservation, the Indian fisheries department has prioritised hilsa hatcheries repeatedly. The post-Partition hostility, adversarial water politics, and trade restrictions ultimately intensified the political tensions surrounding hilsa fish between West Bengal and Bangladesh. Hasina’s Hilsa Diplomacy has turned the issue into soft power diplomacy, rather than offering a sustainable solution to the dwindling hilsa population or promoting a coordinated transregional fishing policy. – Reproduced
https://www.epw.in/journal/2025/36/special-articles/fish-discord.html
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