A mobile court yesterday destroyed around 30,000 toxic bananas and fined a trader Tk 5,000 for ripening the fruit artificially at a wholesale store in Radhanagar village of Pabna Sadar upazila.
The court led by Pabna Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Salma Khatun raided the wholesale shop of Md Anwar Hossain and seized the fruit worth Tk 50,000. Later the fruit was destroyed in presence of the mobile court.
The accused trader used a chemical agent calcium carbide to hasten the ripening of fruits, according to the UNO.
The use of chemical to ripen fruits is banned because it poses serious threat to human health, she stated.
“Anwar used the chemical and kerosene stoves to ripen the green bananas. In the process the fruit lost its natural quality and turned risky for consumption,” Md Nazrul Islam, sanitary inspector of Pabna told The Daily Star.
Some traders are still using artificial methods to ripen fruits defying repeated warnings. The court will conduct more drives to destroy unhygienic foods, noted the UNO.
Paying the fine the accused trader Anwar vowed not to use any chemical in ripening fruits in future.
Sanitary inspector of Pabna and local law enforcement agencies assisted the court during the drive.
-With The Daily Star input
