There is a burgeoning trade in adulterations in products like mustard oil, powdered spices, soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, powdered milk, baby food and even life-saving medicines, making it difficult to recognize the genuine product.
This adulterated syndicate is cheating the customers by duplicating the packaging of various famous brands. The violence of counterfeit products does not stop even after raids, arrests.
Although milk is the main ingredient for making ghee, fake ghee was made from soybeans and dalda. Later, these ghee were marketed in the packaging of various famous brands with the logo of BSTI. On October 18, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DB) arrested two people from Jatrabari along with adulterated ghee making machine.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of DMP DB Wari Division, Muhammad Ashraf Hossain, said, “A syndicate was conspiring to produce and market adulterated ghee. By buying this adulterated ghee, the lives of people of all ages including children are being threatened, they are suffering from various diseases.”
Water is being bottled and sold as 'mineral water' in fake factories across the capital. Apart from this, chemicals are being used to ripen unripe fruits and preserve fish.
Even though several government agencies have launched raids against fake factory owners and marketers of adulterated products, there is no precedent for taking strict action. After being caught, fines and factories were temporarily closed, but they indulged in the same misdeeds again.
Dealers said oil prices have risen three times in the last two weeks. Different period oils have different rates. Each shop buys these oils at different prices and has to sell them at different prices. This is the reason for the price variation.
Meanwhile, sugar is being sold in the retail market at Tk 110 to Tk 120 per kg. Even three days ago, the price of this sugar was 5 taka less per kg. And flour per kg is not below 65 Tk. Which was Tk 58 last week.
According to the data of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), ূhe price of flour has increased by 12.15 per cent in the space of 1 month.
After visiting some vegetables markets in the capital, most of the vegetables except potatoes, radishes and brinjals are now being bought for more than Tk 50 per kg. Several vegetables have increased by Tk 10 to Tk 20 per kg in a few days.
Consumers are upset with rising prices. Bangladesh Pratidin talked to a buyer Halim Rahman in Jatrabari market. He said, “The price that I buy something today, tomorrow it increases without any reason. In this way, the price of everything is constantly increasing, but the income is not increasing. Due to lack of market monitoring, buyers are in trouble.”
@The article published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on November 12, 2022 and rewriten in English by Tanvir Raihan
