, Sept. 6 -- Bangladesh Bank has rolled out a Tk 2,000 crore special fund to revive the country's struggling frozen fish export sector, but shrimp exporters and processors fear bureaucratic hurdles, high interest rates and restrictive conditions could make the initiative ineffective, as happened with previous rescue efforts.

Frozen shrimp exports, once a billion-dollar earner two decades ago, have collapsed to below $300 million annually, with more than half of factories registered under the Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) shutting down in recent years amid power shortages and raw material crises.

Export Promotion Bureau data show shrimp exports exceeded $400 million in fiscal year 2022-23 before sliding below $250...