Thailand yesterday expressed its eagerness to import hilsa from Bangladesh amid bumper production of the country's national fish this year.

In response, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sayedul Haque said the government would assess the feasibility of exporting the fish.

The minister said this when Thai Ambassador to Bangladesh Panpimon Suwannapongse called on him at his office in the ministry, according to a press release.

During the meeting, Minister Sayedul Haque presented the overall scenario of Bangladesh's fish sector and record hilsa production. He sought assistance from Thailand in this sector.

The Thai ambassador invited the minister to visit Thailand for future collaboration between the two countries in the fisheries sector.

Thai interest in importing hilsa came at a time when fishermen in Sitakunda of Chittagong were seen dumping hilsa in the Bay of Bengal due to a shortage of cold storage in the area.

There was also a lack of buyers, and the fishermen had to sell the fish at cheap prices.

Visiting ghats in Sitakunda on Tuesday, The Daily Star correspondent saw hundreds of dead and rotten fish floating in the sea and in an adjacent canal.