90 tonnes of onion imported by TCB stuck at Benapole port

Amid the soaring prices of onions in the country, 90 tonnes of onion imported from India by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) remained stuck at the Benapole land port for five days, resulting in damage to the bulbs.  

The port's plant quarantine station officer Hemanta Kumar Sarker today told The Business Standard that the consignment of onion arrived at the port from India five days ago.

"There are 90 tonnes of onions in the vehicle. But the unloading cannot be done yet," he said.

Hemanta added that goods imported by TCB are usually released through the concerned C&F agents. The corporation also assigns a representative for the release.

"I do not know why they did not unload [the onions]," added Hemanta.

Indian truck driver Mustakin Mondal, who had been stranded at the port due to the delay in unloading, said, "The onions are getting damaged. I do not know anything about the unloading. I cannot even contact any importer over the matter," he said.

Mortaza Sharif, manager of "Confidence" – the C&F agent responsible for the shipment – told TBS that he had yet to receive the necessary document from the TCB and that is why the unloading of the product was delayed.

He said that the TCB document will reach him tonight, and hopefully, the onions can be released on Monday.

Benapole Customs House Commissioner Abdul Hakim said that the onions were not released as the C&F agent did not submit the bill of entry.