Two importers jailed for 15 days for selling onion at high prices in Chittagong

A mobile court in Chittagong on Tuesday jailed two onion importers of Reazuddin Bazar for 15 days on charges of creating volatility in onion market by racketeering and forming syndicate.

Executive Magistrate of Chittagong District Administration Towhidul Islam led the mobile court at the all important wholesale market of Reazuddin Bazar in the port city.

The two onion importers were identified as Minhaj Uddin Bappi, proprietor of JS Traders; and Abul Hossain, proprietor of A Hossain Brothers.

The duo  are also members of a  syndicate involved in selling onions at Tk90-Tk110 per kg at the wholesale markets after procuring onions at a cost of Tk42 per kg from neighbouring Myanmar.

Executive Magistrate Towhidul Islam told Dhaka Tribune that they came to know  about the syndicate of sixteen importers and wholesale traders  – based in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar after conducting drives at Khatunganj wholesale market.

"A wholesale trader must retain pertinent documents for 'buy and sell' deal of any essential commodity. The two importers imported 166 tons of onions altogether, however, could not show any import documents to the mobile court.

"As per Control of Essential Commodities Act-1956, the two importers were sentenced to 15-days imprisonment for their involvement in hiking onion prices exorbitantly,” said the executive magistrate.