The Saudi Arabian Airlines flight that was supposed to airlift 50,000 tonne of onions to Bangladesh, has landed in Dhaka airport without the kitchen staple.
Flight SV-3802 landed in Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport early on Wednesday (Nov 20).
The Saudi Arabian Airlines office said that a cargo flight is expected to fly in on Thursday (Nov 21) and the onions might be there.
“Our team is prepared 24 hours,” said Ratan Kumar Sarker, deputy director, Agricultural Extension’ Plant Quarantine Wing at Dhaka airport.
He added that they are prepared to help the onion importers clear the consignments whenever they apply for clearance.
Dhaka Customs House Assistant Commissioner Sazzad Hossain echoed, “No one has applied to clear consignments yet. But we are prepared 24 hours. Tax-related procedures will be dealt with swiftly once the consignments arrive.”
On Tuesday (Nov 19), Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said that the government was importing 50,000 tonne of onions by cargo planes to contain the price hike of the essential cooking ingredient.
“The government has started increasing the supply of onion in local market through raising its import by air and sea,” he said.
He said around 12,000 tonne onion started reaching the country through the sea.
Munshi added that the first consignment of onion by a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight will reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport via Jeddah at midnight on Nov 20.
After that the onion will continue to come to the capital every day through the passenger and cargo planes, he said, adding the imported onion would be sold at fair prices through the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).