Told cook not to use onion: Sheikh Hasina jokes on India's export ban

Banglesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday joked about short of onion in her country after India banned exports last month. 72-year-old Prime Minister reportedly said that it has become difficult for m to get onions. Hasina said, “I don't kw why you stopped onion (exports). So what I did was, I told my cook to t to use onion in food. Prior tice of such decisions would help. Suddenly, you stopped and it became a difficulty for us. In future, if you are taking such a decision, prior information would help.” Bangleshi PM was dressing India-Banglesh Business Forum which was organised by industry chambers including CII and Assocham. Minister of Railways and Commerce Piyush Goyal was also present at event.

RE | Banglesh PM Sheikh Hasina to begin four-day visit to India on Oct 3

Sheikh Hasina on a four-day visit

Sheikh Hasina is currently in India on a four-day visit. She is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to eng in bilateral talks on October 5. In statement me by Ministry of External Affairs, it said, “Apart from a number of agreements that are to be exchanged between sides during visit, two Prime Ministers will also jointly inaugurate three bilateral projects via video link." 

RE | Soaring onion prices spark anger in Banglesh after India ban

Ban on onion exports

A ban on onion exports by India has caused shorts, soaring prices, and widespre anger in neighbouring Banglesh, where pungent bulb is used in almost all aspects of national cuisine. price of onions is a sensitive subject in South Asia, where shorts can trigger widespre discontent with political ramifications.
 
About two-thirds of demand for onions are grown locally by farmers, with rest mostly imported from neighbouring India, where heavy monsoon rains have reduced crop. One kilogramme of staple vegetable usually costs 30 takas (36 US cents) but has soared to up to 130 takas after India imposed export ban over weekend. Amid a public outcry, Dhaka quickly took steps to import vegetable from Myanmar, Turkey, China, and Egypt.

RE | Centre prohibits onion export with immediate effect, amid rising price

Heavy monsoon rains in key onion-growing regions

state-run Tring Corporation of Banglesh (TCB) is also selling onions at a discounted 45 taka per kilogramme in capital Dhaka. However, in city of 18 million, only about 9,000 people -- limited to two kilogrammes per person -- are allowed to buy vegetable at subsidised rate each day. Heavy monsoon rains in key onion-growing regions have been blamed for current short in India. In an effort to arrest furr price rises, New Delhi imposed export ban and suppliers and distributors are blocked from stocking up. Some reserve onion stocks held by national government are also being sold in several States at subsidised prices.

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(With inputs from PTI)