Something fishy?
To the Bengalis it seems like something fishy is going on in India. Despite a fivefold increase in fish production since independence, many Indians prefer to go for chicken and meat rather than the Bengali staple.
What's up? Before letting one's imagination run away with all kinds of theories, one should look at the Indian ethos.
Barring Bengal and the coastal states, most Indians prefer to go for chicken and meat. The unbearable temperatures for a good part of the year may have something to do with it. In fact, there is one school of thought in India that fish should be shunned in the months without an 'R' because it rots easily. Which means it's okay to consume this Bengali delicacy from September to April and avoid it in the hot summer months. As for the monsoon, it is believed that the fish breeding season is not conducive to its consumption.
In North India, sea fish are the most popularbhekti, surmai, singhara and so on.
Of course, the Bengalis are an exception to this rule. In colonies such as Chittaranjan Park (popularly known as CR Park and once upon a time as the East Pakistan Displaced Persons' colony,) they have a feast of sea and river fish to choose from.
So carry on fishing in Bangladesh. Forget about your giant neighbourat least when it comes to fish.
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