The country has imported over 167,806 tonne of onions since August this year at a cost of Tk 6.6 billion, reports BSS.
“A total of 167,806.47 tonne of onions were imported through different land ports from August to Nov 18,” Shahidul Islam, Director General (DG) of the Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (CIID) told journalists at his office in Dhaka on Tuesday (Nov 26).
Some 341 importers imported the huge bulk onions through different land ports including Banglabandha, Benapole, Bhomra, Hili, Sona Masjid, Teknaf, Chattagram and Dhaka Customs House during this time, said the official. He said Tk 6.6 billion was spent to import this cooking essential.
Of the total import, 51,649 tonne came through Sona Masjid land port, 46,370 tonne from Bhomra, 34,861 tonne from Teknaf, 24,308 tonne from Hili, 6,693 tonne from Chattagram, 171 tonne came through Bangla Bandha and the rest 27 tonne through the Dhaka Customs House.
Meanwhile, the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department summoned 37 onion importers to carry out investigation into the cause of the unusual onion price hike.
An intelligence investigation team led by a CIID additional director general began the investigation.
The department already collected the necessary information about 332 onion importers to identify those responsible for creating a volatile situation in the onion market.
On Nov 25, the CIID quizzed 10 onion importers.
Since India’s export ban decision on Sept 29, onion prices have been on the rise in the local kitchen market. Local onions still are being sold for as high as Tk 250 a kg in the city’s kitchen markets, while onions imported from Myanmar for Tk 230-240, breaking all previous records.