Huge chemical-soaked mangoes seized
A mobile court yesterday destroyed chemical-soaked mangoes weighing around 60 maunds after seizing those from different wholesale shops in the city's Jatrabari fruit depot yesterday.
Dhaka District Executive Magistrate Al Amin who led the drive also filed cases against fine business establishments and individuals and fined them Tk 1.3 lakh for hoarding, selling and distributing artificially ripen mangoes.
The mangoes were ripen using harmful chemicals like 'calcium carbide'.
Prof ABM Faroque of pharmaceutical technology department at Dhaka University said intake of mangoes ripen artificially can cause ulcer and even at one stage can cause cancer to people.
He said chemicals smuggled in Bangladesh from neighboring India can ripe mangoes in 24 hours.
Prof Faroque also said the artificially ripen mangoes lost its nutritional value and flavor.
The five business establishments fined are Kabir Traders, Amanat Fal Bhandar, Mohammadia Enterprise, Haji Kafiluddin Filling Station and Grameen Food and Beverage.
Representatives from Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI), Rapid Action Battalion and police assisted the mobile court during its drive, says a BSTI press release.
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