The New Nation - Internet Edition

Syful Islam

Thousands of tones of local sugar is being dumped in godowns as those fails to compete with the imported sugar even offering Tk 10.47 less in each kilogram than its production costs.

The operation and planning wing of the Armed Forces Division recently urged the government to increase import duty of substandard Indian sugar, to save the local industry, which was found contaminated with additional hydrogen peroxide.

The Armed Forces Division in a recent letter to the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Industries observed that country's sugar market is being controlled by a syndicate of unscrupulous businessmen and might become unstable again.

According to them, nearly 24 thousands tones of sugar became stockpiled in the godowns of six state owned sugar mills in country's northern districts. As a result the sugar mills faces loss of crores of taka and fails to pay the dues to the farmers, and also salaries of employees.

They said the sugar mills faces acute fund crisis and there will be shortage of place during the new crushing season, beginning from November, if the stock cannot be sold.

It is being reported that the quality of Indian sugar is very low. A recent laboratory test of Indian sugar found extra hydrogen peroxide in the Indian sugar, which is harmful for human body.

Armed Forces Division found that as the substandard Indian sugar is being imported at low price, local sugar mills fails to compete due to high production costs.

Commerce Secretary Firoz Ahmed said being informed by the Ministry of Industries on substandard Indian sugar they have asked the National Board of Revenue to take necessary measures. Recently the NBR has issued a circular asking all concerned to import Indian sugar after proper testing.

Informed sources said neighbouring India is providing huge subsidy on sugar export to continue its control on the Bangladeshi sugar market.