Administration takes steps to prevent marketing of unripe, chemical -mixed mangoes in Satkhira
SM Sahidul Islam, Satkhira
In Satkhira, traders are being caught collecting and marketing mangoes before the calendar date set by the district administration. Sentences are being given in mobile courts. Fines are being collected. Unripe mangoes mixed with chemicals are being destroyed.
These unripe mangoes are being sent to various districts of the country including the capital.
To maintain the reputation of Satkhira's mangoes and prevent marketing of unripe mangoes, a schedule for picking mangoes from trees has been set.
The mango schedule was announced at a meeting on safe mango marketing held at the Satkhira Deputy Commissioner conference room on May 5 last year.
According to the schedule, Mumbai and Golap Khas mangoes will be collected and marketed from May 9, Gobinda Bhog from May 11, Himsagar from May 22, Nangra from May 29 and Amrapali from June 10.
But before the schedule, a large number of mangoes are being seized and destroyed every day in Satkhira on charges of ripening unripe mangoes with chemicals by picking them.
A mobile court seized 900 kg of Gobinda Bhog mangoes while they were being sent to Rangpur on Thursday (April 24) night. These mangoes were seized from a transport at Bankal High School intersection in Satkhira town. A businessman was arrested during this time.
The arrested businessman Abdullah Gazi (45) is the son of Ahmad Ali of Garanbaria village in Debhata upazila of Satkhira.
Satkhira Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Atish Sarkar said that based on the information that unripe mangoes mixed with chemicals were being taken to Rangpur from Shyamnagar in two transport vehicles, the mobile court conducted a drive at the Bakal High School intersection in the suburb on Thursday night. During the drive, 900 kg of unripe Gobindabhog mangoes mixed with chemicals in 45 carats were seized. Businessman Abdullah Gazi was arrested at that time. At 10 pm, the mangoes seized by the mobile court were destroyed with a roller next to the Bakal High School ballfield.
In addition, the businessman was sentenced to one month in prison for non-payment of a fine of 20,000. Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Monirul Islam and senior police officials were present during the operation.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday (April 22) night, about 4 metric tons of mangoes were seized from the bypass road of Satkhira. Satkhira Sadar Police Station seized the mangoes. Later, 10 carats of Gobindabhog mangoes were destroyed by throwing them under the wheels of a mobile court. In addition, 160 carats of chemical-free mangoes were sold at auction for 45,000 taka that night. Mobile court judge and Sadar Upazila Executive Officer Shoaib Ahmad, Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shaminul Haque, Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Monirul Islam and a police team were present at the time.
Agriculture Officer Monirul Islam said that unripe mangoes were being sent from Satkhira to the capital Dhaka by truck.
They also said that Satkhira mangoes have a nationwide reputation. But an unscrupulous group is trying to ripen unripe mangoes using chemicals and market them.
This campaign will continue to protect the reputation of the district's mangoes and prevent adulterated food from being sold in the market. In addition, it has been asked not to collect and market mangoes before the calendar date set by the district administration. However, immediate action will be taken if there is evidence of harmful chemicals being mixed in the mangoes. The same night, the police seized another 5 carats of mangoes while they were being sent to the capital Dhaka from that road.
