Metropolis Desk-
In the past two days, Bangladesh received nearly Tk 8.5 crore worth of Indian onions through the Hili land port in Dinajpur.
After the Modi administration imposed a 40% export duty on August 19, this is the first shipment of Indian onions through the route.
On August 21 and 22, 59 Indian trucks brought in onions at a cost of approximately Tk 48,000 per tonne, according to Md. Sohrab Hossain, public relations officer at Panama Hili Port Link Limited, which runs the Hili land port, spoke to The Daily Star.
He stated more were waiting in line to travel to Bangladesh.
According to him, the port officials are currently preparing the paperwork to facilitate faster release of the imported onions so they can be found in the neighborhood markets.
After India implemented the export duty, this writer noticed a Tk 15-20 increase in the price of the bulb per kilogram (kg) at local stores.
When the Indian export tariff went into effect, according to Abu Taher, a Hili bazaar retail onion merchant, he said he sold each kg of onions for between Tk 40 and Tk 45, but today they go for between Tk 55 and Tk 60.
Local onion prices have also increased, as they are currently being offered for Tk 100 per kg, up from Tk 80 a few days earlier, according to Ruhul Amin, an onion dealer in Rail Bazarhat in Dinajpur town.
Harun Ur Rashid, head of the Importers and Exporters Group of Hili Land Port, claimed that as a result of the tax increase, importers now have to pay an additional Tk 7-8 for every kilogram of onions.
When the imported onions become accessible in the local markets, he anticipates a drop in the price of Indian onions to Tk 50–55 per kg.
