NEW DELHI: Soaring prices of Onions have a history of toppling ruling parties a. However, this time it has crossed the borders and created tension between India and Bangladesh.
Rising onion prices have been making headlines here, but these have also heightened concerns in Bangladesh about the possibility of smuggling of onions across the border into India. Dhaka has issued directives for strict vigil along the border to prevent onion smuggling.
According to the Dhaka Tribune, Bangladesh Ministry of Commerce officials said they suspected that local traders may take advantage of the crisis in India to make a profit by smuggling local onions since across. More so as its production cost in Bangladesh is far less than the current price in India that is hovering in the South Delhi markets between Rs 70-Rs 80 a kilogram although it has dropped substantially in the far flung vegetable mandi’s.
Border Guard Bangladesh has been alerted to look out for smuggling activities along the border and prevent local onions from being smuggled out of the country, the ministry officials told the Dhaka Tribune.
Speaking about cross border alerts and smuggling Editor Imphal Free Press, Pradip Phanjoubam said, " Alerts are common, since we cover borders very closely. However, this time the monitoring across the border is strict. The alerts were issued about ten days ago. There are alert issued about other items too. Food habits are common between India and Bangladesh. The border areas have all the more commonalities. That is the reason alerts keep coming in times of crisis "
Dhaka Tribune further reported that the Bangladesh Commerce Secretary claimed that the ministry had been monitoring the market to prevent hoarding.
Officials have also met with the local onion traders and warned them of dire consequences in case of supply shortage.
Phanjoubam added, "Sometimes there are even alerts about little spices that are being used in Indian households. “