The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shamim Jahangir

A group of syndicate has imported substandard and date expired sugar from India at a cheap price, Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) sources said.

Due to such import, Bangladeshi sugar has failed access to its own market.

The 15 member syndicate also marketed the sugar mixing it with low quality sugar to earn huge profit, sources of BSFIC said.

They have already imported 38870.67 tonnes of low quality finished sugar from July 1 to July 25 through Darsana and Banapole Port. Out of this quantity, 32882.67 tonnes of sugar came through the Darsana land port and 5988 tonnes through the Banapole land port.

Demand of sugar in the country is 12 lakh tonnes per year while the inland production is 1.5 lakh tonnes, the BSFIC said.

The import cost of substandard and date expired sugar was US $320 (Tk 22,400) to US $340 (Tk 23,800) per tonne, according to sources.

According to International Commission for Uniform Method of Sugar Analysis (ICUMSA), the colour of sugar will be 150 ICUMSA. But, the colour of substandard sugar is 200 ICUMSA.

"I couldn't understand how the importers bought per tonnes of refined sugar at a cost of $320 to $325 from India where the quality sugar is sold at a cost of $356," a high official of BSFIC said.

He added that there is no authority to properly scrutinise the quality of sugar imported in the country.

According to Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI), the recommended colour quality of the refined white sugar is 150 ICUMSA. But, the imported sugar is not maintaining the colour range. "It has got over 200 ICUMSA," sources said.

According to Chittagong port authority, a total of 1,39,216 tonnes of refined sugar and 2,84,133 tonnes of raw sugar have been imported during July 2007 to May 2008 through the Port.

Abdul Aziz, Commercial Manager of Mrs Ainul Hoque, an importer of Indian Sugar told the New Nation over phone that they had bought Indian sugar from PKS limited, Amit Export and Krishna Traders at different prices.

"We have imported our first consignment at US $325. Then, we have also bought our second and third consignments at a cost of $330 and $365," he said adding, "We have bought the sugar with legal documents."

He rejected the allegation of bringing substandard and date expired sugar at a cheap price and said that we got US $25 train fare facilities from the Indian authority to bring the sugar in the country.

When contacted Chitta Babu of Majumder Traders told the New Nation, "there is nothing wrong to buy Indian sugar. If I have got the sugar at a low price, why I cannot purchase it."

Talking with the New Nation, a high official of BSFIC told we have now a stock of 49,720 tonnes of sugar in 15 state-run Sugar Mills.

"If the government do not take steps to stop the rampant access of substandard sugar, the state run mills will face a setback and may be compelled to stop their operation due to incurring of huge loss," he added.