Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) mobile court destroys 400 maunds of mangoes in Jatrabari, Dhaka.
During the drive on Wednesday, the court also fined nine wholesale depots around Tk24,00,000 for selling mangoes before the scheduled time and using chemicals to ripen them.
The mobile team was accompanied by officials from the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Department of Agriculture, and Dhaka South City Corporation.
Confirming the matter, RAB Executive Magistrate Sarwar Alam said: "Actually the mangoes are scheduled to come to market late May. But the traders brought the fruit from different parts of the country before the scheduled time and ripened them using chemicals, which is hazardous for human health and is also a crime."
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) mobile court destroys chemically ripen mangoes in Jatrabari area of Dhaka on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 |Dhaka Tribune
He also said they had a meeting with the wholesale traders and they assured him that going forward, they would not sell any more mangoes before the time set by the government.
The RAB mobile court slapped a fine of Tk4,00,000 each on Ma Enterprises, Saddam Enterprises, and Nangalkot Enterprise, and Tk3,00,000 each for Nannu Enterprise and Sajib Enterprise, Tk2,00,000 each to Bandhu Banijjaloy and Madaripur Banijjaloy, and Tk1,00,000 each to Chandrapuri Sobji Bhandara and Sabihah Banijjaloy.
Most mangoes come from the Rajshahi region. The Rajshahi administration has fixed dates for the harvesting of different types of mango gardens.
According to the directives, the Guti variety is to be harvested starting May 15, Gopalbhogh starting May 20, Ranipasand and Laxmanbhog on May 25, Khirsapat or Himsagar on May 28, Langra on June 6, Amrapali, Fazli, and Surma Fazli starting June 16, and the Ashwina varieties starting July 1.
