Shutki (dried fish) is a beloved yet divisive food in Bengal, with varieties like chepa, lakkha, and nona ilish. From necessity to culinary tradition, it’s a staple across regions, valued for its preservation, flavours, and cultural significance.

Dried fish or shutki maach is a glorious example. In Bangladesh, the popularity of dried fish is rising and there is a thriving shutki trade

Dried fish is one of the key ingredients of most recipes in hilly cuisine, and their popularity is on par with any other meat dish.

Dried fish producers in Cox's Bazar's Nazirar Tek village, the largest dried fish producing village in the country, are still using toxins even though an NGO has been putting in efforts to make them switch to organic fish-processing methods.