Dhaka, Feb. 17 -- The government has decided to export 12,125 tones (11,000 metric tones) of hilsa to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for Bangladeshi expatriates.

"Following the request from Bangladeshi expatriates, who contribute significantly to the country's economy through remittances and have shown solidarity during July movement, plan has been taken to export hilsa on a limited scale, Fisheries Adviser Farida Akhter said at a press conference at the Secretariat on Monday.

Hilsa exports have remained suspended since 2012 due to a government ban and Bangladesh produced 0.58 million tones (0.53 million metric tones) of hilsa in the 2023-24 fiscal year, she said.

The current interim government is trying to increase th...