Mobile court fines 10 potato sellers Tk1.4 lakh in Chattogram for overcharging customers

The executive magistrate of Chattogram district administration fined 10 potato sellers Tk1.4 lakh on Tuesday on charge of selling potatoes disregarding the price fixed by the government.

The mobile court started their operation at 9am upon receiving complaints about traders selling potatoes without any receipt.

Executive Magistrate of the district administration Omar Farooq said during the raid in the city's Riazuddin Bazar, wholesale traders were found selling potatoes without any receipt.

"The price of potatoes had been set by the government at Tk30 per kg at the wholesale level, but here they are selling it for Tk40-42. So, we fined 10 traders Tk1.4 lakh altogether," he added.

"If everyone sells within the price fixed by the government, we can also sell. But traders do not give us potatoes when we sell at lesser price. My demand is that government provisions should be equally implemented. Otherwise, we face deep losses. My shop has been fined Tk10,000 by the mobile court," said Shawkat Hossain, owner of Kusumpur Banijjaloy at Riazuddin Bazar.

Assistant Director Mohammad Billal Hossain of the agricultural marketing department was also present during the raid.