200 tonnes of onion imported by TCB rot as not cleared from port in time
Two hundred tonnes of onions, imported by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) from Turkey, have rotted as the perishable item was not cleared from the Chattogram Port in time.
"The onions arrived at the port on 2 August but they were not cleared as the supplier could not provide proper documents. So, the supplier is responsible for this damage. The TCB has nothing to do in this case," said Jamal Uddin Ahmed, senior executive, TCB Regional Office of Chattogram.
The senior executive did not comment on why the TCB did not ask for documents from the supplier as the goods arrived one month ago.
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Imported at Tk27 per kilogram, 200 tonnes of onion is worth Tk54 lakh. The onion was imported to be sold in TCB fair price shops. However, TCB authorities said the rotten onions will not affect the availability of this daily essential in TCB shops.
The TCB has dumped the rotten onion beside a pond near the TCB office in the Export Processing Zone in the city. Bad smell emitting from the rotten onions is causing severe inconvenience to people living in the area, said locals, adding that some people have got sick due to the odour.
Ziaul Haque Sumon, councillor of South Halishahar ward-39, said, "I cannot figure out how a government organisation like TCB can dump such a big amount of rotten onion in a populated area! I visited the spot and informed them about it."
TCB Regional Office of Chattogram Assistant Director Saddam Hossain said, "We are sprinkling bleaching powder so that the smell does not spread around. Maybe it will take some time, then the smell will be gone."
However, Assistant Director of TCB Chattogram, Saddam Hossain, said, "We are regularly sprinkling bleaching powder so that the smell does not spread further. Maybe it will take some time, but the smell will be gone.
