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Wheat Seizure in Kolkata

It was Indian exporter's fault

Sajjadur Rahman
An Indian exporter, which has got work orders to export wheat to Bangladesh, should be held responsible if anything happens against the laws, the owner of the vessel that was seized by Kolkata police said yesterday.
The Kolkata-based LMG International obtained the work order from the Directorate General of Food, Bangladesh, Rafiqul Islam Tareq, owner of the vessel Khan Jahan Ali-2, told The Daily Star yesterday.
On Saturday, police seized 36 trucks carrying over 4,50,000 kg of wheat of the consignment from Kolkata port.
During interrogation, the truck drivers said the wheat was being taken to the vessel Khan Jahan Ali-2, which was FROM PAGE 20
to carry the consignment to Bangladesh.
Kolkata police also arrested 13 people, including two Bangladeshi workers of the vessel.
“It was absolutely the fault of the exporter. The consignment of wheat was loaded under the supervision of the Kolkata Port Customs,” Tareq said.
"We sent the vessel after the opening of LC (letter of credit) and obtaining permission from the inland water transport authorities of both countries," he said.
Sheikh Mahfuz Hamid, owner of Gulf Link Seaways, the prime carrier of goods on inland water routes between Bangladesh and India, said "Around 30 barges (vessels) have already been unloaded at the Mongla port with wheat imported from India.
"These barges went to Kolkata port with proper documents to carry wheat,” he said.
“The exporter has committed the crime of buying (Indian) government wheat meant for the poor. The vessel owner has nothing to do with it,” said Hamid, who has been in the business for nearly two decades.
Mofizur Rahman, director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, also confirmed to The Daily Star that the documents under which the vessel had been permitted to carry the wheat were all right.
“We will discuss the issue with the government today,” said Rahman.
Ashok Shal, an employee of LMG International, who was in Dhaka yesterday, could not be contacted as he did not receive phone calls from this correspondent despite several attempts.
Ahmed Hossain Khan, director general of the Directorate of Food, Bangladesh, also did not respond to this correspondent's phone call.