Dhaka, April 13 -- Demand for hilsa has surged in Dhaka ahead of Pahela Baishakh, but alongside the prized silver fish, traders are slipping cheaper lookalikes -- chandana, also known as toli shad, and sardines -- into buyers' baskets.

In some markets, marine sardines are even being sold as "chandana hilsa", a near-identical fish imported from Myanmar.

Smaller and less lustrous than hilsa, the fish often goes unnoticed by unsuspecting buyers.

Chandana, while a type of hilsa, lacks the distinctive taste of the premium variety.

After cooking, distinguishing these fish from genuine hilsa becomes nearly impossible, said Obaidur Rahman, a trader at Jatrabari wholesale market.

"Spices overpower the fish during cooking, making it difficult ...