“How longer we have to stay at port? Oranges are already getting rotten,” an anxious Bhutanese fruits supplier asked a Bangladeshi importer as the opposition-called blockade continued.
While getting stranded with orange-loaded trucks at India’s Chengrabandha land port on Monday, Bhutan’s fruits exporter Sunoma Dukpa talked to General Secretary of Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers and Exporters Association Sirajul Islam in Dhaka over phone.
But Sirajul Islam, the importer, had no positive answer to his Bhutanese supplier.
The 18-party opposition was observing now almost continuous blockade programmes demanding a non-party polls-time government. This programme has completely disrupted the country’s communication system.
“We saw trucks of oranges getting rotten in front our eyes for last three days,” Sunoma Dukpa was telling Sirajul Islam.
More than 15 exporters of Bhutan like Sunoma are facing same trouble at the port.
The commander-in-chief of Chengrabandha land port camp Sukhanbindor Singh was also not allowing the exporters enter Bangladesh’s Burimari port as there was no good news.
When contacted on Tuesday, Sirajul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that he had nothing to do other than listening to the worried Bhutanese fruits exporters.
“Usually, foods like orange is rotten after 12 hours of harvest if kept unpreserved,” said Sirajul Islam.
He said a total of 40 trucks laden with 500 tonne of oranges already go back to Bhutan. “But there are 800 tonne of oranges waiting to get into Bangladesh border.”
Sirajul Islam continued that the fruit importers were unable to release more 500 tonne Indian and Bhutanese fruits lying at the Chittagong sea port.
Besides, 3,000 tonnes of onion, ginger and garlic of China, India and Pakistan are also lying at the sea port.
As a result, around 4,000 tonne of fruits and spices imported through opening letters of credit are now waiting to be rotten in the Chittagong port. Some of them can only be released on Fridays.
Such situation has resulted in skyrocketing prices of essentials as 40% hike was experienced in last three and four months due to political turmoil.
Serajul Islam said about 3m people have been involved with fruits import for long. “Many will lose their jobs if the sector is affected.”
He said fruits importers pay around Tk120m revenue to the government exchequer annually.
Commerce secretary Mahbub Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune that the country’s supply chain of essential commodities and import of fruits have been disrupted due to political programmes like hartal and blockade.
“But the government provided police protection to carry goods like Myanmar’s onions from Cox’s Bazaar on a request from the traders last month. If necessary now, protection will be given” said the secretary.
FBCCI vice president Md Helaluddin described the situation as very worrying for businesses.
“We have no more space to move back. We are losing our capitals,” he lamented.
