The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Benapole

India has banned rice export to Bangladesh by private exporters landing the importers who have opened L/Cs in trouble.

Hundreds of rice loaded truck were stuck up at all the Indian side of the southwest land ports following the sudden ban order issued by the Indian government, port officials said.

Expressing surprise at the export ban, Indian rice exporter Nirmal Shikari told UNB they will take legal course seeking permission of delivery of the consignments for which L/Cs opened before the order issued on February 7.

Another report from Hilli land port in Dinajpur said, the ban on rice export to Bangladesh by private exporters was issued on Thursday as the millers refused to sell 50 percent of their products to the government.

Indian government fixed the rice procurement price at Rs 11.30kg when the market price is more than Rs 13.

The millers at Bardwan, Gangarampur, Gazal and Mehedipara in West Bengal demonstrated on Monday against the low procurement price. They sold all their products to the exporters at much higher prices.

This prompted the government to ban the export, said Ganesh Prosad, secretary of importers association at Hilli land port.