Smuggled spices meet75pc local demands

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Our Correspondent CHITTAGONG, Oct 12: Khatunganj Trade and Industries Association leaders have called upon the government to stop smuggling of spices through the Bangladesh-India border to ensure stability in the market. In a memorandum to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ministers concerned president and general secretary of the association Mahbubul Alam and Syed Sagir Ahmed respectively said large quantity of spices are entering the country illegally through different areas every day. The memorandum was sent to Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Home Minister Sahara Khatun, Commerce Minister Faruk Khan and Cabinet Secretary through district administration. Smuggling of cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cumin and black pepper from India through five routes along the border have increased alarmingly over the months that have resulted in the government revenue loss to the extent of Tk 20,000 million annually, the memo said. They said 75 per cent of the spices are supplied to the local markets by smugglers. The borders of Akhaura, Feni, Chouddagram Miabazar and northern districts are used in this connection. Due to smuggling of spices the legal traders and importers are about to suspend import as they are facing an uneven competition and thus the local market faces supply disruption of the essential items. The situation is likely to worsen particularly when the sale of spices will be doubled in the coming weeks ahead of the holy Eid-ul-Azha. The business leaders urged the government to instruct the border guards to strengthen patrol along the borders to check smuggling. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Mohd Ismail Hossain received the memo today in favour Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Foyez Ahmed. Organising Secretary of the association Md Jamal Hussain and representatives of the spices importers Messrs Osman Chowdhury, Nurul Absar, Utpal Chowdhury Manik, Abdur Razzak, Amor Kanti Das and Md Yasin, among others, were present while the memorandum was handed over.