Bagearhat Correspondent :
Ship MV. Pintail laden with rotten and inferior quality wheat is staying at Mongla Sea Port for the last 2 months.
But there is no surety when it will leave the port. It is allegedly reported that the farm that imported the wheat is still trying secretly to unload the same (wheat) with using its influence over the concerned authorities. Some 52 thousand 500 metric tones of wheat were imported from France through the ship. After unloading 31thousand 500 metric tones wheat at Chittagong Port the ship arrived at Mongla Port on October 12. The market price of the wheat is Tk.44 cr. The ship MV Pintail that carrying 21 thousand 500 metric tones wheat arrived at Mongla Port on the day and anchored at mooring buoy No. 3 at Harbaria area.
A contractor farm named M/S. Khalid Brothers was directed to unload the wheat within ¾ days. A supervising team examined the wheat on October 13 and decided not to unload the wheat as it is rotten and of inferior quality. The matter was ventilated widely in the news medias. After that with the direction of higher authorities sample of the wheat was sent to Dhaka for examination. The examination report states that the wheat is of inferior quality and unfit for human consumption. After receiving the report the food department decided not to unload the wheat and informed the importer-contractor farm Complex Consultant Ltd.of the matter. But in spite of that the ship is staying at the port for mysterious reasons hitherto unknown.
On Wednesday when Akhtaruzzaman , Director of Lydmond Shiiping Ltd, local agent of the ship told the newsmen, preparations are going on so that the ship can leave the port. The ship laden with wheat may leave the port in the next week. He added, the ship is now staying at mooring buoy No. 3 of the Pashur channel of the port and various requirements are supplied to 20 crews of the ship regularly.
Kazi Nurul Islam, Controller of Food, Khulna Region disclosed to the newsmen, the food department will not unload the wheat and the concerned persons were also informed of the matter and now it is the headache of the importer. He added. Complex Consultant Ltd, the importer of the wheat was black listed and the farm will not be given any chance for importing wheat in future.
On the other hand, it is learnt from a responsible source of the food department that the contract for importing the wheat was signed on March 24.
The wheat was loaded in the ship in the month of April. It was kept in the hatch of the ship for long 5 months. Normally air and light are not ventilated there and consequently, the wheat lost its quality.
Rear Admiral Riaz Uddin, Chairman of Mongla Port Authorities told the newsmen, there is no involvement of the Port authorities with the import of the rotten and inferior quality wheat. The importer and the food department are concerned with it.
It is allegedly reported that the crews of MV. Pintail ship sold a little portion of the rotten wheat in the black market to the local smugglers. In this connection the newsmen tried their best to know the opinion of Complex Consultant Ltd (Dhaka), importer of the wheat over mobile phone, but in vain. This wheat is detrimental to the public health. Harbaria area where the ship is now staying is impassable and far from the main port. So, it is very difficult on the part of the port authorities to keep an eye on it for 24 hours. It is apprehended that if the ship stay at the port for more days more rotten wheat may be sold in the black market.
Ship MV. Pintail laden with rotten and inferior quality wheat is staying at Mongla Sea Port for the last 2 months.
But there is no surety when it will leave the port. It is allegedly reported that the farm that imported the wheat is still trying secretly to unload the same (wheat) with using its influence over the concerned authorities. Some 52 thousand 500 metric tones of wheat were imported from France through the ship. After unloading 31thousand 500 metric tones wheat at Chittagong Port the ship arrived at Mongla Port on October 12. The market price of the wheat is Tk.44 cr. The ship MV Pintail that carrying 21 thousand 500 metric tones wheat arrived at Mongla Port on the day and anchored at mooring buoy No. 3 at Harbaria area.
A contractor farm named M/S. Khalid Brothers was directed to unload the wheat within ¾ days. A supervising team examined the wheat on October 13 and decided not to unload the wheat as it is rotten and of inferior quality. The matter was ventilated widely in the news medias. After that with the direction of higher authorities sample of the wheat was sent to Dhaka for examination. The examination report states that the wheat is of inferior quality and unfit for human consumption. After receiving the report the food department decided not to unload the wheat and informed the importer-contractor farm Complex Consultant Ltd.of the matter. But in spite of that the ship is staying at the port for mysterious reasons hitherto unknown.
On Wednesday when Akhtaruzzaman , Director of Lydmond Shiiping Ltd, local agent of the ship told the newsmen, preparations are going on so that the ship can leave the port. The ship laden with wheat may leave the port in the next week. He added, the ship is now staying at mooring buoy No. 3 of the Pashur channel of the port and various requirements are supplied to 20 crews of the ship regularly.
Kazi Nurul Islam, Controller of Food, Khulna Region disclosed to the newsmen, the food department will not unload the wheat and the concerned persons were also informed of the matter and now it is the headache of the importer. He added. Complex Consultant Ltd, the importer of the wheat was black listed and the farm will not be given any chance for importing wheat in future.
On the other hand, it is learnt from a responsible source of the food department that the contract for importing the wheat was signed on March 24.
The wheat was loaded in the ship in the month of April. It was kept in the hatch of the ship for long 5 months. Normally air and light are not ventilated there and consequently, the wheat lost its quality.
Rear Admiral Riaz Uddin, Chairman of Mongla Port Authorities told the newsmen, there is no involvement of the Port authorities with the import of the rotten and inferior quality wheat. The importer and the food department are concerned with it.
It is allegedly reported that the crews of MV. Pintail ship sold a little portion of the rotten wheat in the black market to the local smugglers. In this connection the newsmen tried their best to know the opinion of Complex Consultant Ltd (Dhaka), importer of the wheat over mobile phone, but in vain. This wheat is detrimental to the public health. Harbaria area where the ship is now staying is impassable and far from the main port. So, it is very difficult on the part of the port authorities to keep an eye on it for 24 hours. It is apprehended that if the ship stay at the port for more days more rotten wheat may be sold in the black market.
