Agartala, Oct 25 (TIWN): Anger is brewing among the Food Corporation of India (FCI) labourers as they are unable to load and unload food grains after the Andhra rice loaded lorries started arriving in the state via Ashuganj port of Bangladesh. The red-faced labourers, alleged that the FCI authorities are not providing chance to load and unload the local vehicles. Some of the vehicles are waiting inside Nandannagar FCI godown for long one and half months.

District Magistrate, West Tripura Abhishek Singh, Principal Secretary of Food Department S.K. Rakesh and Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Sadar Manik Lal Das today rushed to Nandannagar FCI godown after the 16 rice loaded lorries arrived here from Bangladesh, this morning. The labourers alleged that the FCI authority denying the local vehicles to load-unload laying priority to the Bangladeshi vehicles, the sources said. However, the administration later managed to send the local vehicles at A.D. Nagar FCI godown accordingly. 

A section of labourers alleged that the FCI authority willingly denying local vehicles for load-unload to maintain the good relationship with the Bangladesh. As a result many of the rice loaded local vehicles are remained unloaded for 1.5 months, said a source inside FCI.

It is to be mentioned here, Tripura has started receiving consignments of 5 MT Andhra rice via Ashuganj port of Bangladesh. As part of the consignments, in total 16 food grains loaded lorries entered in the state this morning. The Bangladesh government is not charging anything for transshipment and transportation of rice through its port and roads for Tripura. On the contrary, it insisted on long-term business relationship with Tripura.