Three importers fined for evading duty on importing dates, selling at higher prices
The court found a wide discrepancy between import data and actual market prices.
A mobile court of Chattogram district administration fined three importers Tk90,000 on charges of evading duty on importing dates and selling substandard dates at higher prices at a fruits wholesale market in the port city.
The organisations are Allah'r Rahmat Store, Ali General Trading, and Fresh Fruit Gallery.
During a two-hour-long drive in the city's Kadamtali area on Saturday, the court found evidence of selling dates at Tk1,200 per kg, which they imported at Tk90.
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Executive Magistrates Md Md Towhidul Islam and Pratik Datt led the drive, said a press release.
The mobile court observed widespread irregularities in the process of selling dates starting from the import to selling by the wholesalers and commission agents at the wholesale market.
They found a wide discrepancy between import data and actual market prices, the release added.
From January to March this year, 40,024 tonnes of dates have been imported into Bangladesh. The average price of these is Tk89.36. But, they found selling dates at high prices at the Kadamtali fruits market.
Among them, Ajwa variety of dates were selling at Tk750-1000, Mabrum Tk1200-1300, Mariam Tk500-800, Dabas Tk400-600 Taka, Zahidi- Tk200-250, Mejdul Tk1200-1300, and Algeria Tk250-400.
As per import data, there were 12 importers of dates. However, during the drive, the court found three importers at the market.
Of them, Allah'r Rahmat Store, the shop of an importer, was fined Tk50,000 for selling dates at three to four times higher prices than the import price.
The court also fined Ali General Trading Tk10,000 for selling dates Tk250-Tk300 which were imported at Tk104 per kg.
Besides, Fresh Fruit Gallery was fined Tk30,000 for selling dates at higher prices than the import price,
Fresh Fruit Gallery is Chattogram's selling agent for Dhaka-based importers Arabian Fruits Factory Limited and Madina Trading.
Owner of Arabian Fruits Factory Md Sirajul Islam, also the president of Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers Association, and its general secretary Nur Uddin actually created a syndicate in collaboration with importers and commission agents to sell local and foreign fruits at exorbitant prices during Ramadan.
