Selim Chowdhury from Patia (Chittagong): One-third of Bangladesh's total salt demand is supplied from Indrapol in Patia. Along with the traditional method of salt refining, some factories have also been given a touch of modern technology. The salt industry is being modernized day by day. 3/4 thousand workers have been employed. This is what Mostafa Salt Industries owner Md. Nasir Uddin said. Here on the banks of Chankhali, there are more than fifty factories including Pubali, Medina, Zakir, Muntasir, Selim, Rahman, Hedayet, Amanat, SB, Mohammadi, Islamabad, Johnny, Agrai, MK Salt. Out of these, 33 are upgraded factories.
Sources say that unrefined salt comes to Patiya's Indrapole by waterways and roads from the salt fields of Teknaf, Kutubdia, Chakaria, Maheshkhali in Cox's Bazar and Banshkhali in Chittagong. Each sack (75 kg) of salt has to be bought for 800-900 taka. In addition to this, loading-unloading costs, crushing costs, iodine costs have to be added and sold in wholesale for a limited profit.
Regarding the addition of iodine, local councilor labor leader Abdul Khalek Allai said, 1 kg of iodine has to be purchased from BSCIC for 3,000 taka. The cost of iodine in 1 kg of salt is about 30 paisa. Women workers are also working in the salt factory. A factory owner said, dredging should be done from Jangalkhain Kerinja, Murali Ghat to Indrapol.
Patiya Indrapole Salt Mill Owners Association President and Municipal Mayor Professor Harunur Rashid said that a salt factory was built in Indrapole in 1955-60, taking advantage of the waterway. At one time, boats carrying 5-6 thousand maunds of raw salt used to arrive in Indrapole. Now, due to the lack of dredging, only boats carrying 1 to 1.5 thousand maunds of salt can arrive. That too through many roundabout routes. They are forced to bring salt from Cox's Bazar by road at a high cost.
Regarding salt import, he said, "Our country is producing salt in the country email list same quantity as the demand. The problem is that we do not have a surplus. If the weather-dependent salt fields face disaster, there will be a crisis. Therefore, we think that at least one month's worth of salt can be imported."
Regarding the recent increase in the price of salt and the allegation that salt used in industries is being sold as food salt, local worker Nurul Islam Gandhi said, Sodium sulfate is used as a raw material in industries. On the other hand, sodium chloride is food salt. Since the two look similar, a group of unscrupulous businessmen are selling industrial salt in packets of food salt for more profit. If this continues, on the one hand, various diseases will occur in the human body, and on the other hand, the salt fields and farmers will be destroyed. Which is a bad sign. If Chankhali is dredged, the salt industry of Indrapole will gain momentum. Local business sources said that this will make the salt industry in Patiya more famous throughout Bangladesh.
The government has provided 100% electrification in Patiya. Now there is no problem with electricity. A worker working in the salt industry earns up to 400-800 taka per day. Experienced workers earn 15-30 thousand taka per month. A few female workers were also working alongside men in a salt factory. One of them is Anu Begum. She has been working in this industry for 11 years. Anu said, 'The daily wage is 300 taka. The wage is paid once a week. Working in salt water is very difficult. Still, I am fine.