Khatungonj traders protest against forged DOs

Our Correspondent CHITTAGONG, December 18: Traders of the country's major wholesale market Khatungonj have demanded of the two brothers of a trading house to refund Tk 1.45 billion to the creditors allegedly misappropriated by it and withdrawal of the case filed against 38 leading traders. During the protest meeting held at the office of the Khatungonj Trade and Industries Association this afternoon the general traders suspended business transactions in the Khatungonj wholesale market for several hours. The traders of Chaktai and Khatungonj said Saiful Islam Chowdhury Zunu and Saiful Azam Chowdhury Khokan, who have filed false case against the general traders must seek apology otherwise the two brothers will have to face cases of forgery. They alleged that Saiful Islam Chowdhury, owner of Chowdhury & Brothers and his brother Saiful Azam Chowdhury, owner of Chowdhury Enterprise at Khatungonj have realised Tk 1.45 billion from the traders against forged DO (delivery order) at different times. "As the traders did not get delivery of goods against the DOs and demanded return of the money, Zunu and Khokan filed a case with the police on December 14 last in a bid to silence them," the traders said in the protest meeting. They demanded formation of a monitoring cell to protect the traders from such acts of forgery and urged the leaders of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry to solve the problem within a week or the general traders will resort to strong agitation programme against the issuers of false DOs. Presided over by president of the Khatungonj Trade and Industries Association Mahbubul Alam the meeting was addressed by vice chairman of S Alan Group Engineer Shahidul Alam, director of Nurjahan Group Zahir Uddin Ratan, directors of Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abul Bashar Chowdhury and Md Abdus Salam, secretary of Khatungonj Trade and Industries Association Sayed Sagir Ahmed, ward councillor Haji Nurul Huq, Amir Market Traders Welfare Association secretary Rezaul Karim Azad, Chittagong Pulse Millers Association president Ahmed Rashid, Rice Millers Association secretary Omar Azam, Jamal Hussain, Farid Uddin Ahmed, Jahangir Alam, SM Harunor Rashid, Abdul Hakim and Gazi Shafiqul Islam.