Govt to fly in onion from abroad next week

After all its mechanisms went in vain to cool down the overheated onion market, the government has decided to fly in onion from abroad next week in a bid to pull reins of the onion price.

“The air cargo carying first consignments of onion from Egypt and Turkey is expected to land in Dhaka at the middle of the next week,” Commerce Secretary Zafar Uddin said in press statement today.

The government has taken the decision amid the skyrocketing price of the daily essential, the commerce secretary said in the release.

“The onion will be sold through TCB (Trading Corporation of Bangladesh) across the country after the consignment arrives on next Monday or Tuesday,” Zafar Uddin said.

To bring the onion price under control, some companies including S Alam Group in connivance with the commerce ministry, are now going to import the onion directly from different countries like Egypt, Afghanistan and United Arab Emirates by air cargo on an emergency basis, the commerce secretary said.

“Necessary formalities have already been finished and it will be possible to ensure adequate supply of onion in the local market within very short time,” he said.

Besides, a consignment of onion using sea route is on the way to Bangladesh and it will reach the country very soon, Zafar Uddin said expressing hope that the onion price will come down in the local market immediately.

Terming the crisis artificial, senior treasury and opposition bench lawmakers yesterday came down heavily on the government in parliament for failing to check skyrocketing onion prices.

They said people were suffering and the government’s failure to bring down the prices of the daily essential would trigger negative reaction from the people.

The MPs, taking the floor on points of order, said there was “no shortage” of onions in the market and the crisis was artificially created.

The prime minister was present when lawmakers vented their displeasure. Later, she too said that unscrupulous traders were hoarding onions.