About 53 tonnes of sugar, worth around Tk 33 lakh, has been stolen from a warehouse of state-owned Kushtia Sugar Mills.

A probe committee, formed by the mill authorities, has filed a general diary with Kushtia Model Police Station over the matter.

The industries ministry has also launched an investigation and members of a committee formed by it visited the spot on Monday.

Sources said the mill was supposed to have 121 tonnes of sugar in its reserve, but the latest stock statement revealed that the sugar was missing.

The matter first came to light on June 3 when the mill authorities received a report on the stock situation, prepared by store keeper Faridul Islam. The report had several discrepancies.

Faridul on June 5 was suspended as he failed to give any explanation over the discrepancy, the sources said.

Sabirul Alam, in-charge of Kushtia Model Police Station, said the mill authorities filed a GD mentioning that about 53 tonnes of sugar had gone missing.

"We have forwarded it to the Anti-Corruption Commission," he said.

The mill authorities formed a four-member probe committee, led by the factory's GM (Finance) Kalyan Kumar Debnath. Talking to The Daily Star, he said a corrupt racket has held "the entire industry hostage", but declined to reveal any findings saying that their investigation was underway.

The five-member committee by the industries ministry is led by Additional Secretary Shivnath Roy. The other members include Anwarul Alam, joint secretary of the ministry and Ainul Haque, planning chief of Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation.

During their visit to the mill on Monday, the committee members examined the current stock, sales and income related documents. They also talked to current and former in-charge of the warehouses and other stores, said sources at the mill.

Rakibur Rahman, general manager (administration) of the sugar mills, said a corrupt syndicate of mill employees was behind the misappropriation. "But I can't say anything more now as the investigation is still on."