A vendor sells hilsha fish at Kawranbazar in Dhaka October 3, 2011. From time immemorial, Bangladeshis have been passionate about hilsha fish, a strongly flavoured, white-fleshed fish known for its mouthwatering smell while cooking -- and a required menu item at New Year's and other family celebrations. But the dazzling silver creature that was declared the country's national fish upon independence in 1971 now has become a much rarer sight on tables due to rising prices. REUTERS/Andrew Biraj (BANGLADESH - Tags: FOOD SOCIETY BUSINESS) 

A vendor sells hilsha fish at Kawranbazar in Dhaka October 3, 2011. From time immemorial, Bangladeshis have been passionate about hilsha fish, a strongly flavoured, white-fleshed fish known for its mouthwatering smell while cooking -- and a required menu item at New Year's and other family celebrations. But the dazzling silver creature that was declared the country's national fish upon independence in 1971 now has become a much rarer sight on tables due to rising prices. REUTERS/Andrew Biraj (BANGLADESH - Tags: FOOD SOCIETY BUSINESS) 

Traders display silvery hilsha at the Soarikhat wholesale market in Dhaka, July 14, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for the next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman (BANGLADESH) 

Traders on boats show silvery hilsha to vendors at Soarikhat harbour in Dhaka, July 14, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for the next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman (BANGLADESH) 

A labourer carries silvery hilsha unloaded from a boat at Soarikhat harbour in Dhaka, July 14, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for the next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman (BANGLADESH) 

Workers unload silvery hilsha from boats at Soarikhat harbour in Dhaka, July 14, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for the next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman (BANGLADESH) 

Workers unload silvery hilsha from boats at Soarikhat harbour in Dhaka, July 14, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for the next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman (BANGLADESH) 

A trader on a boat shows silvery hilsha to vendors at Soarikhat harbour in Dhaka, July 14, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for the next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman (BANGLADESH) 

Traders display fishes at the Soarikhat wholesale market in Dhaka, July 14, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for the next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman (BANGLADESH) 

Traders display fishes at the Soarikhat wholesale market in Dhaka, July 14, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for the next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman (BANGLADESH) 

A vendor displays hilsha fish at a market in Dhaka, July 5, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman.(BANGLADESH) 

Vendors sort hilsha fish at a market on the banks of the river Buriganga in Dhaka, July 5, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman. (BANGLADESH) 

A Vendor holds up two hilsha fish at a market on the banks of the river Buriganga in Dhaka, July 5, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman.(BANGLADESH) 

Vendors sort hilsha fish on the banks of the river Buriganga after buying them from a market in Dhaka, July 5, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman. (BANGLADESH) 

Vendors sort hilsha fish at a market on the banks of the river Buriganga in Dhaka, July 5, 2007. Bangladesh has banned hoarding and export of its national fish, called the hilsha, for next six months to keep prices down in markets and to ensure supplies. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman. (BANGLADESH) 

Bangladeshi traders sort Hilsha fishes at a wholesale fish market in Dhaka July 20, 2005. Hilsha, the national fish of Bangladesh and a great delicacy around the world, is caught in Bangladesh mostly during the monsoon season. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman RR/mk 

Bangladeshi fishermen show their catch of popular Hilsha fish on the river Meghna at Chandpur 170 km (106 miles) southeast of the capital Dhaka in this picture taken June 1, 2004. Fishing for Hilsha resumed on Tuesday after a five-month ban that was imposed in January to help breed the popular fish. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman NA/SH 

A fish trader in a Dhaka market sells hilshas, usually rich men's delight, but now available at very cheap rates following the floods, September 12. Fishermen said they had a bumper catch of hilshas both in the Bay of Bengal and rivers, and often have to dump some of the catch back in water as their boats are unable to carry them all. The floods have killed at least 880 people and left millions homeless across Bangladesh.

AN/TAN/KM