DHAKA, Feb 16, 2025 (BSS) – Issuing a note of warning, National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate (NCRPD) Director General Mohammad Alim Akhtar Khan said stern action will be taken against suppliers and dealers for imposing conditions on sale of edible oil.

“Suppliers and dealers will have to face stern action, including penalty, if consumers are forced to buy certain products or any condition is imposed on them centering Ramadan,” said NCRPD chief while presiding over a meeting today.  

The meeting was held at the TCB building at Kawran Bazar to exchange views for keeping price of edible oil stable and ensuring its normal supply in the markets. 

Market inspections have confirmed that consumers are being forced to buy other commodities and products along with edible oil but refining companies have denied it.

“If we find such practices, both companies and dealers will face fines,” he said.

Issuing instruction to mill owners, he asked refineries to double the production of oil and disclose information on the production and supply as a sustainable solution to keep the price of edible oil stable and normal supply. 

At the same time, refinery companies will have to inform daily production and supply to the consumer’s rights protection department, Khan said.

He agreed with the businessmen to develop software for exchanging information on daily produced, refined, stored and supplied oil with companies or mill owners and dealers.

The DG said, “Despite six oil refineries are currently refining oil there has been instability in the market for the last three to four months. Because products are not being delivered on scheduled date, if this happens in the future, we will have to take stern action.”

The meeting presided over by NCRPD DG Mohammad Alim Akhtar Khan, was attended by Director Fakir Mohammad Monowar Hossain, oil mill owners, leaders of the Bangladesh Wholesale Edible Oil Traders Association, the Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners and Vanaspati Manufacturers Association and others.

Fakir Mohammad Monowar Hossain said that during inspection in four markets in the city found limited oil stock in retail shops, with dealers and wholesalers restricting supply.
The imposition of conditional sales was confirmed, and wholesalers failed to provide proper invoices for transactions. Additionally, in some cases, bulk edible oil was being sold at a higher price than bottled oil, he added. 

Abu Taher, general secretary of New Market Bazar, said, “There is no 5-liter bottled oil in the market. Currently no company is supplying oil in the market. We get one carton instead of 5-carton. If we place order for oil, suppliers force us to buy other products such as polao rice, flour, salt, tea leaves.”

TK Group Director Shafiul Atahar assured that a large consignment of edible oil will arrive on February 24, resolving supply shortages by February 26. 

“Consignment of soybeans takes 50-60 days to arrive from abroad and 10-12 days for palm oil. On the occasion of Ramadan, two companies have opened double LCs, but the LCs were opened in at the end of October and the goods were supposed to arrive in December last, but the delay was due to the 15-day closure of shipping in Brazil caused by natural disaster,” he added.