Kushtia MP Abdur Rouf stops Brazilian wheat from entering local warehouse

Residents of Kushtia's Kumarkhali Upazila, led by MP Abdur Rouf, have stopped wheat, imported from Brazil, from entering the local warehouse.

They stopped the unloading of the wheat when it reached the Upazila food department's warehouse on Saturday morning.
 
Bangladesh imported 200,000 tonnes of wheat worth Tk 4 billion from Brazil.
 
A recent report ran by a daily says it was “rotten and inconsumable.”
 
Amid widespread criticism, Food Minister Qamrul Islam claimed that it was not rotten.
 
When 500 tonnes of that wheat, which was sent from Khulna, was about to be unloaded from the trucks, a group of locals led by the MP stopped it.
 
"The consignment of wheat has been stopped from entering the warehouse as it is sub-standard.
 
"Without proper testing, this wheat will not be allowed to enter the Kumarkhali warehouse," said Rouf.
 
Warehouse officials said that locally procured wheat was tested, but for the imported ones it's done centrally.
 
"The 14-truck Brazilian wheat came for disbursement under different social safety net programmes of the government. We have to stock it," said the warehouse's official in-charge Shahabul Alam.  
 
On the local MP's objection, he said they would seek higher officials’ opinion.
 
Upazila Food Officer Shah Newaz declined to comment on the issue.
 
The government has been alredy told to clarify whether the wheat is suitable for human consumption by the High Court after a petition was filed.

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