RAB destroys 15 tonnes of mango ripened artificially with chemicals

The Rapid Action Battalion or RAB in Dhaka has destroyed about 15 tonnes of mango that were ripened artificially with chemicals.

The fruits were brought to a wholesale market in the capital’s Jatrabari before the end of a temporary ban on the trading of delicious fruit.

RAB Executive Magistrate Sarwoer Alam also fined nine wholesalers Tk 2.4 million for storing the mango in a mobile court drive on the market on Wednesday.

The varieties of mango found at the market were supposed to be brought by the end of May, according to Sarwoer.

“They brought the mango to the market before the fixed time by ripening those artificially which is an offence and poses health risk,” he said.

A total of 400 maund or 14.92 tonnes (1 maund = 37.3242 kg) of mango was taken out of the stores and crushed under the wheels of pickup trucks.

Rajshahi is the largest producer of mango in Bangladesh.

The authorities there have fixed times to start the trading of mango in a bid to stop rogue traders from using chemicals to ripen the fruits for extra profit.

The temporary ban on plucking Guti and Gopalbhog mangoes ended on Wednesday, but the restriction on trading Laxmananbhog variety is still in place and will end on May 25, and Himsagor and Khirsapati on May 28.

Langra and Bombai varieties will hit the market after June 6 and Fajli, Surma, and Amropali after June 16.

If mangoes of any variety ripen before the end of the ban, the orchard owners must take permission from the authorities before plucking the fruits.

Sarwoer said they destroyed mangoes from Rajshahi that are not supposed to be in the market as yet.

He fined Maa Enterprise and Nangolkot Enterprise Tk 400,000 each, Nannu Enterprise and Sajeeb Enterprise Tk 300,000 each, Bondhu Banijyaloy and Madaripur Banijyaloy Tk 200,000 each, and Chandgrapuri Sabji Vandar and Sabiha Banijyaloy Tk 100,000 each.