When Auwal Sheikh, a private sector employee, paid Tk 2,400 for hilsa fish at the market, it was not out of habit or luxury — but to satisfy his two children’s craving for Bangladesh’s most iconic delicacy.
Yet, the 37-year-old said the taste wasn’t what it used to be. “When I was a child, my mother’s hilsa curry would fill the entire neighbourhood with its aroma,” he recalled. “Now, the price keeps rising — and the flavour seems to be fading away.”
His father, 65-year-old Idris Sheikh, agreed. “In the past, hilsa released enough oil to fry in its own fat. Now, it’s hard to find one with that rich texture. The fish that once defined Bengali heritage is losing its distinctive taste,” he said.
Scientific research suggests that a fish’s taste and aroma come from complex chemical interactions that vary by species, environment, and season. Hilsa’s unique flavour is primarily due to its balanced distribution of fat and fatty acids — unlike other fish where fat collects mainly in the belly. In hilsa, it spreads evenly through the flesh and tissues, creating its soft, buttery texture that melts in the mouth.
Farakka Barrage blocking the hilsa’s journey
A 2007 study found that after India built the Farakka Barrage in 1975, hilsa catches in the upper Ganges dropped by 80–90 percent. Research published in ResearchGate in 2020 confirmed that the barrage has severely disrupted hilsa migration. The structure has reduced fish size, breeding success, and overall catch volume.
Field surveys in both upstream and downstream regions showed that far fewer and smaller hilsa are found above the barrage. Mature fish are particularly scarce upstream, while larger, healthier hilsa are caught downstream. Normally, hilsa migrate from the sea into rivers to spawn, but the Farakka Barrage has narrowed this natural route, preventing mature fish from reaching breeding grounds.
Researchers warn that larger hilsa generally contain more oil, which enhances flavour. The decline in size has not only affected taste and market value but also slashed fishermen’s income. They recommend establishing a functional fish passage system at the barrage and maintaining natural river flow during migration seasons to protect the species.
Decline in Taste and Size
A Nature study published in 2025 found regional variations in the nutritional and taste quality of hilsa roe. Samples from Cox’s Bazar, Chandpur, and Patuakhali showed that although Patuakhali hilsa retained better flavour and nutrition, overall quality has declined.
Another study in ScienceDirect warned that overfishing and reduced river flow are causing a steady decrease in hilsa’s average size and weight.
Climate change shifting hilsa habitats
Hilsa breeding and production zones in the Bay of Bengal have shifted significantly, threatening the livelihoods of fishing communities and national food security. Three recent studies linked climate change, river mismanagement, and excessive net use to disruptions in hilsa spawning and migration.
The main breeding grounds have now moved to the areas around Hatiya, Sandwip, and Bhola. Increased salinity, siltation, and reduced river flow are limiting reproduction. Hilsa measuring 35–50cm now produce only 1.5–2 million eggs — a steep decline.
River flow in the Padma, Jamuna, and Meghna has dropped sharply during the dry season, raising salinity levels. A Department of Fisheries survey found that salinity in the Meghna estuary has doubled to 10 parts per thousand.
As freshwater flow diminishes, aquatic biodiversity is declining. Over the past two decades, hilsa production in inland rivers has fallen by about 20 percent, while marine catches have slightly increased — a clear sign that production is shifting from river to sea.
According to the Meteorological Department, Bangladesh’s average annual temperature rose by nearly 2°C between 1901 and 2022, and ocean temperatures are expected to rise further by 2050. Hilsa’s optimal spawning temperature is 26–28°C, and warming waters are reducing hatch rates and increasing larval mortality.
Meteorologist Bazlur Rashid noted that rising temperatures have already hurt Bangladesh’s fisheries, particularly hilsa. Hilsa researcher Anisur Rahman warned that declining fertility and shifting breeding zones could harm both production and local economies if conservation plans aren’t adapted to climate realities.
Coal shadow over Payra
In Patuakhali’s Kalapara region, the 1,320-megawatt coal-fired power plant near the Andharmanik River — one of two key hilsa sanctuaries — is posing new threats. The plant is altering river depth and flow, which scientists say negatively affects hilsa breeding and lifecycle.
A 2020 study, Fish Diversity in the Andharmanik River Sanctuary in Bangladesh, found declining fish diversity. Out of 93 identified species, 14 percent were vulnerable, 11 percent endangered, and 6 percent critically endangered. The study blamed illegal fishing, habitat disruption, and reduced water flow.
Professor Kazi Ahsan Habib, Dean of Fisheries at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, said, “Hilsa are highly sensitive. Changes in habitat alter their migratory routes. River siltation, pollution, and industrial expansion — particularly the coal power plants in Kalapara and the Payra-Bishkhali-Baleshwar estuary — are forcing hilsa to abandon traditional breeding areas, directly impacting production.”
Shrinking production, rising prices
Bangladesh accounts for about 86 percent of global hilsa production, making the fish vital to the national economy. Yet falling yields have pushed prices far beyond the reach of ordinary consumers.
Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter recently said that supply shortages and extortion in distribution networks are driving prices up even in peak season.
According to the Department of Fisheries, hilsa production dropped from 5,71,000 tonnes in FY 2022–23 to 5,29,000 tonnes in FY 2023–24 — a fall of about 42,000 tonnes in a single year. During July–August 2025, peak-season catches totalled just 29,519 tonnes.
Government data show that hilsa output had steadily increased over the past decade — from 5,17,000 tonnes in FY 2017–18 to 5,67,000 tonnes in FY 2021–22 — an average annual growth of more than 2.5 percent. But the recent decline is being attributed to river pollution, illegal nets, juvenile fish harvesting, and inadequate protection for spawning mothers.
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data show hilsa prices have surged by about 33 percent since 2023. Consumer groups report that the average price per kilogram has risen from Tk 417 in 2010 to Tk 789 in 2019 and about 3,500 in 2025 — far beyond middle-class affordability.
Professor Kazi Ahsan Habib said the government had repeatedly overreported production figures, adding that a proper review is needed. “If output were truly sufficient, prices wouldn’t be soaring like this,” he said, warning that declining reproduction will continue to drive scarcity. He also noted that neighbouring Myanmar has now overtaken Bangladesh in hilsa catches.
Dr Mohammad Abu Kawsar Didar, a scientific officer at the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, said river course changes, natural disasters, and silted riverbeds are the main causes of falling hilsa yields. He stressed the need for alternative livelihoods for fishermen and the establishment of modern fish landing stations to sustain the industry.
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