A section of unscrupulous traders have been producing Chwani, locally made liqueur, unabated in the district defying government law.
Locals said molasses are produced from sugarcane at North Bengal Sugar mills and Natore Sugar Mills as fodder. But some traders produce the liqueur from the molasses by mixing harmful substances which is harmful for human body.
The traders earn a lot amount of money by selling the liqueur in local markets. Maximum customers are young people and students.
They got involved in different crimes to collect money for buying the alcohol. As a result incidents of murder, robbery and snatching are increasing in the area.
The traders have set up more than 100 factories for producing the wine at crops field, house yard and in the jungle secretly.
When visited it was found that the factories have been set up in Ekdala, Boroigram, Duttapara, Digapatia, Vaturia and Thakurlaxshmikul in Sadar upazila.
Getting sugar in less price in the market, they are producing molasses a lot and selling those at a high price in the market.
The production of sugar at Natore Sugar Mills has been started recently. Some cane growers are not supplying canes at the suger mill. They supply those to the dishonest factory owners for producing molasses in exchange of high price.
Taking this opportunity the traders produce a huge quantity of molasses and gain much profit by selling those in the local hats and bazars.
Dr Abul Kalam Azad of Natore Hospital said local people are suffering from various stomach diseases by taking the liqueur. The authorities concerned are not taking proper steps to stop this illegal production of molasses in the areas, the suffering quarters opined.
Mobile court action is seen very often in this purpose at different areas of Bagatipara upazila and other remote areas, but the result is not satisfactory. Defying the action, the traders again begin production after some days of the mobile court action.
Recently members of Rapid Action Battalian (RAB) have conducted a drive at some factories of molasses production at village Begunia, Chalkgoash, Kajirchalk and Malanchi under Bagatipara upazila of Natore district and arrested 10 persons in this regard.
Later a mobile court jailed them in various terms and seized 8,100 kg of adulterated molasses which was destroyed by dumping into the Boral River.
Khandoker Forhad Ahmed, Bagatipara upazila nirbahi officer, said : “Molasses’ producers were given punishment earlier for doing this illegal business, and in future they’ll also be punished.”
Deputy Commissioner Moshiur Rahman said: “We have already conducted drives to arrest the unscrupulous producers, alcoholics and traffickers.”