Dhaka City North: ‘Scam’ in importing mosquito destroying bacteria

In Dhaka North City, there has been a scam in the import of mosquito larvicide bacteria BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis). In the name of importing the bacteria from Singapore, it was actually imported from China. As per conditions of the tender, there were no scopes to import the BTI bacteria from China.

Bangladeshi contractor Marshal Agrovet Chemical Industries Limited has supplied Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) with this new sort of bacteria to eradicate mosquito. The BTI bacteria they have handed over to the city corporation came with a packaging that has Singaporean Best Chemical Limited’s name printed on it, as the manufacturer. 

However, import records from Chattogram port showed that Marshal Agrovet Limited imported BTI bacteria in containers through that port on 26 July. These bacteria have come from China’s ‘Shandong Ganon Agrochemical Company’.

The company released that consignment of BTI from Chattogram port after paying the customs authority a duty tax of Tk 538,000 on 30 July. As per the import records, there were five tonnes of BTI in that consignment and the import cost was shown USD 48,500.

Apart from that, Marshal Agrovet’s import data shows that not just in the last month, the company didn’t import any chemical from Singapore in the entire year.

The tender circular shows that the revenue department of Dhaka North City Corporation published a circular to purchase BTI bacteria for mosquito larvicide on 11 April. That mentioned the names of USA, European Union countries, Singapore, India or Malaysia as BTI manufacturing countries. In other words, the bacteria must be imported from one of these countries.

But Marshal Agrovet Industries Limited has imported BTI bacteria from China violating that condition of the tender. They have used Singaporean Best Chemical Limited’s name as the manufacturer just to cover up the Chinese company’s name.

Marshal Agrovet executive director Nasir Uddin Ahmed talked to Prothom Alo about this matter. He claimed that the item has been imported through a third party. Necessary documents that he submitted with the tender, mention about the contract between Singaporean Best Chemical and third party Shandong. The BTI has been imported through that same company (Shandong).

Regarding the absence of scope to import it from China, he said, “No matter how, if I can bring the product from that country (Singapore), should be enough. That’s the way I submitted the documents.”

While the contractor claimed the imported BTI bacteria to be manufactured by Singaporean Best Chemical Limited, Best Chemical Company itself has claimed it to be untrue. They even have posted an alert message about this on their Facebook page.

Posted under the title ‘Scam Alert’, the alert published on Monday morning wrote, “Bangladesh’s Marshal Agrovet Chemical Industries Limited had supplied Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) with five tonnes of BTI larvicide product. In doing so, they have fraudulently used the name of our company (Best Chemical) as the manufacturer of BTI.” The company also clarified that Marshal Agrovet Chemical Industries Limited is not an appointed distributor of Best Chemical.

On the other hand the man named Lee Shiyang, claimed to be the export manager of Best Chemical and a BTI-expert by Marshal Agrovet, is not actually an employee of the Best Chemical.

Lastly on Wednesday, another statement in this concern was posted on Best Chemical’s Facebook page. It stated that they have started the procedure of taking legal action against Marshal Agrovet.

Meanwhile, Dhaka North City Corporation has sent Marshal Agrovet a letter last Monday to show all the evidences proving that Singaporean Best Chemical Limted is the manufacturer of imported BTI bacteria.

When asked DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam for his statement, mentioning that the BTI bacteria has been imported from China, he told Prothom Alo, “They (Marshal Agrovet) can do whatever they want. If that’s the case, they will be blacklisted. What happened however has been a huge lesson for our city corporation.”

“They (contractor) have been asked to show proof. If they fail to submit proof, action will be taken. If they cannot submit it within Friday, they will be blacklisted,” added the mayor.

When Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) executive director Iftekharuzzaman’s attention was drawn towards this, he told Prothom Alo on Wednesday night that three things, misuse of power, scam and fraud have been in play here.

Those who are at the topmost level of the city corporation have an involvement in this. They have to take responsibility and answer for this, he added.