Chittagong, Bangladesh (BBN)- Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) has strongly protested a move by vested quarters to shift the national tea auction centre from Chittagong to Srimongol.
“Tea auction is being held in the port city as it has the requisite infrastructure and export facilities since the British rule in the sub-continent,” CCCI President Murshed Murad Ibrahim said in fax message to the commerce minister
The CCCI chief also requested the minister to take proper steps to prevent "this conspiracy" against the commercial capital.
He also said huge economic infrastructure including the auction house, testing centre, warehouses and brokerage houses has been set up depending on the international tea auction and a large number of employments have also been generated.
The government is earning over BDT1.60 billion annually as revenue from the auction. On the other hand the government will be required to invest BDT 40.00 billion from the national exchequer for shifting the tea auction centre to Srimongol, Mr. Ibrahim reportedly said.
BBN/SSR/AD-12Sept11-10:35 am (BST)