The High Court (HC), on Monday, asked the authorities concerned to form teams to monitor fruit markets across the country as seasonal fruits like mango, lychee, jackfruit, pineapple and blackberry have started to appear in the market.
The teams will strictly monitor the fruit markets throughout the season in order to prevent use of chemicals fruits and deter any degradation.
A HC division bench comprising Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader gave the order after holding a hearing on a supplementary petition filed by rights group Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).
Moreover, the HC bench asked Inspector General of Police (IGP), Director General (GG) of RAB, Chairman and director of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) to form teams within the next seven days.
The court also asked them to submit a report on market monitoring by June 18.
Earlier, on April 19, the HC had ordered the authorities concerned to deploy police within seven days at major mango orchards across the country, including Rajshahi, to prevent use of chemicals on mangoes. The court had also directed to submit a report on this within the next 30 days. Meanwhile, the seasonal have already started to appear in the city markets. But these fruits are being sold in various markets located around the cities at much higher rates. The fruits now found in the city markets are locally produced, according to market sources. But the delicious verities of mangoes like Gopalbogh, Khirshapat, Lakhna, Langra, Amropaly, Fazly and Surma Fazly from Rajshahi and other districts from the northern region have not reached the capital yet.
However, the farmers have already started plucking the indigenous varieties from May 15 and Gopalbogh from Monday.
According to the decision, the farmers can pluck other indigenous varieties like Khirshapat from May 28, Lakhna from May 25, Langra from June 5, Amropaly from June 16, Fazly and Surma Fazly from June 16 and Ashwina from July 1.
Some indigenous varieties have appeared in the markets as farmers and traders have started harvesting mango since this week abiding by the instruction of local administration.
A ban on mango harvesting and marketing had been imposed in the district till May 14 to give optimum time for natural ripening of the delicious seasonal fruit.
District administration is determined to prevent adulteration in mango ripening process through the use of harmful chemicals.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), most of the mangoes will become matured and ripen within the stipulated time and then those could be harvested normally.
Some of the indigenous varieties of mangoes have already ripened. But the other delicious and famous varieties- Gopalbhog, Khirshapat and Langra need some more days to be ripened.
In the country’s northern region district administrations are closely monitoring the harvesting of mangoes in addition to extending all necessary facilities to farmers and traders for harvesting and marketing of the seasonal fruits.
On the other hand, people from all walks of life and different environmental organisations continued to demand chemical-free fruits for the people from the government.
As the seasonal fruits have started hitting the market, people are in fear about having formalin-free fruits. Fruits laced with formalin cause various diseases, including respiratory problem, asthma, gastric and cancer.
