Edible oil suppliers and retailers are adding conditions to the sale of edible oil. The Consumer Rights Protection Department has found this to be true after visiting several markets in the capital. Mohammad Alim Akhtar Khan, Director General of the National Consumer Rights Protection Department, has warned oil suppliers that they will face severe punishment if they sell oil with conditions.
He said, "Consumers are being conditioned to buy various products including rice, flour, and tea leaves along with oil in the market. Evidence of this has been found in the market, but oil refinery companies are denying it. If we see this situation anywhere in the market, we will fine the companies and dealers."
He made these remarks at a view-sharing meeting at TCB Bhaban in the capital's Karwan Bazar on Sunday. The meeting was held to inform about the latest information on edible oil, keep prices stable and supply normal on the occasion of the holy Ramadan.
Fakir Mohammad Monowar Hossain, Director of Consumer Affairs, addressed the meeting chaired by the Director General of the Department of Consumer Affairs. Edible oil mill owners, leaders of the Bangladesh Wholesale Edible Oil Traders Association, leaders of the Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners and Bonaspati Manufacturers Association, retail edible oil traders, Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and representatives of various concerned departments and organizations were present.
At that time, Fakir Mohammad Monowar Hossain said, "We observed four markets in the capital and found that oil is low in retail stores. Dealers and wholesalers have reduced supply. The truth about attaching conditions to oil has been found. Receipts cannot be shown in wholesale sales. Oil is not being supplied at the specified time by the SO. Apart from that, the price of open edible oil is higher than bottled oil in some cases."
Mohammad Alim Akhtar Khan said, "Palm oil is being sold in the market at a price lower than the government price. Currently, there is a delicate situation with soybean oil. In terms of oil, we are dependent on six refining companies. There has been instability in the oil market for the last three-four months."
Golam Maula, president of the Edible Oil Owners Association, said, "We need to stop throwing mud at each other. The companies bring oil and refine it, and we sell it. For several years, the Tariff and Commerce ministries have been jointly determining the price."
He told the companies to adjust the prices if necessary, but still keep the market stable. Don't harass consumers. Companies must promise that we can do business halally this Ramadan. He urged small traders not to be fined for minor violations.
Regarding the consumer investigation, New Market General Secretary Abu Taher said, "There is no five-liter oil in the market, we are not being given it. Dealers say that the company is in talks with the government. If the price is increased, oil will come to the market. Because the company has enough oil. Currently, oil is the biggest problem in the market."
He said, "Now, if you ask for five cartons, you get one carton. When you give oil, you add the condition of buying other products including polava rice, flour, salt, tea leaves. They give these products without informing you about the oil order."
At this stage, the DG said that companies will have to inform the Department of Consumer Affairs about their daily oil production. He gave the companies the responsibility of creating software for this.
At this stage, retail traders said, "Prices increase due to handover in SO. Our orders are being held in trucks for 15-20 days. A company has increased the price of a bag of flour by 200 taka. They are not delivering the goods."
Abdul Jabbar, a businessman from New Market, said, "I received 7 cartons of goods on the 5th, and then they gave me 40 kg of polao rice. Rupchanda gave me one sack of polao rice and one carton of mustard oil for 20 cartons of oil. He called for a fine on the companies for this."
At that time, the DG of Consumer Affairs said, "Conditional sales are condemnable. If this situation is done, punishment will be given. The amount of refining that is currently being done must be doubled."
Then TK Group Director Shafiul Athar Taslim said, the government wanted to control prices by reducing prices. For this, some reductions were made. It takes 50-60 days for soybeans to arrive from abroad and 10-12 days for palm oil to arrive. Currently, everyone is supplying as usual. Even palm oil is being sold at a price of 15 taka less than the government rate. TK has made double LCs on the occasion of Ramadan. The LC for September was made in October. These were supposed to arrive in December. But due to natural disasters in Brazil, they have been delayed.
He also said that a large shipment will arrive on February 24 and there will be no oil shortage after the 26th.
At that time, he also questioned why TCB does not import oil. He said, "Why would they buy from a private company? There were once 48 refineries in the country, of which eight are still operating despite making losses."
City Group Director Biswajit Saha claimed that oil is being delivered to dealers regularly in drums and bottles.
