Traders demonstrate, keep 52 onion warehouses closed in Ctg

Owners of 52 onion warehouses kept those closed in Chattogram city from this morning, protesting a drive conducted by the district administration yesterday -- following a sharp rise in onion prices.

They also staged a demonstration blocking a local road in the morning for around one hour, protesting the drive, our Chattogram staff correspondent reports.

A mobile court led by the district administration fined 10 warehouse owners in the city's Khatunganj Tk 77,000 following a price hike of onions at the wholesale market over the last few days.

While staging demonstration, the traders alleged that the mobile court fined them illegally.

Md Idris, general secretary of the association of Hamidullah Kitchen Market in the port city, said, "We are not demonstrating. The traders who were fined in yesterday's drive have been protesting over the issue."

He added, "We are discussing with them to settle the matter."

When contacted, Faruk Ahmed, a commission agent and owner of Ira Traders in the city, alleged that the district administration fined them illegally.