COX'S BAZAR, Oct 29: A committee after inspecting at the field level said there is no need to import salt from abroad as three lakh metric tons of salt are in store here.
Industries Minister Amir Hossen Amu, at a meeting with local salt farmers and traders, administration, public representatives and elite on September 25 last, said that the government will not import salt considering the protection of native salt industry and the people involved in this business.
At the meeting, the minister asked the representative of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries (BSCIC) about the storage of salt here. Later, a five-member committee investigated it at the field level and submitted the report to the ministry where it was told that about 3 lakh tonnes of salt are in store. Officer (Chemistry) of district BSCIC Md Nurul Alam Bhuiyan confirmed the matter.
He said this year's salt production season will start from the second week of November next. The new salt will come to the market before the stored salt finishes. So, there will be no salt crisis.
Deputy General Manager of BSCIC, Cox's Bazar Development Project Office, Dildar Ahmed Chowdhury said salt was cultivated on 64,147 acres of land in Chakaria, Pekua, Moheshkhali, Kutubdia, Teknaf and Sadar upazilas of Cox's Bazar and Banshkhali Upazila of Chattogram in 2017.
Salt is produced from November 15 till May 15 each year in these areas. About 45,000 farmers of coastal areas produce salt. BSCIC fixed 16,00,021 MT salt production target for 2017. At the end of the season, salt near to the target was produced.
But, local farmers, traders, wholesalers and millers claimed that the salt production crossed target in 2017. As a result, after meeting the total demand, about three lakh MT of salt is still in store. Now, there is no need to import salt.
President of Bangladesh Salt Farmers' Samity and President of Chakaria Upazila Lawyers' Samity Advocate Shahidullah Chowdhury said there is no crisis of salt in the country, but a vested quarter is trying to import salt without inspection the at field level and give false information to Bangladesh Tariff Commission and Industries Ministry.
He also said that if salt is imported, the local salt industry will suffer loss, and the farmers will lose interest in salt cultivation. As a result, about five lakh people will lose their jobs.
Lawmaker of Moheshkhali-Kutubdia constituency Ashek Ullah Rafiq said, "I requested the Minister Amir Hossen Amu at the meeting not to give permission to import salt. I presented the misery of local salt farmers. I seek Prime Minister's intervention to solve the matter."
