Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has ordered the immediate withdrawal of ten substandard food products from the market, including spices manufactured by Bombay Sweets and ghee from Baghabari, after they failed to meet national quality criteria in laboratory tests.
The national standards and regulatory body has also issued show-cause notices to the manufacturers of these products, asking why their BSTI-provided quality licences should not be cancelled.
The regulator has strongly advised consumers to refrain from purchasing these substandard items.
According to a BSTI press release, the enforcement action follows regular market surveillance where officials collected product samples from the market and tested them at the institution’s international-standard, state-of-the-art laboratory.
While several other products complied with the standards, certain brands of ghee, butter oil, and spices failed the tests.
Adulterated ghee and substandard spices
The BSTI laboratory tests revealed that the “ghee” produced by Baghabari contained no milk fat at all. Instead, it was manufactured using palm olein and vanaspati, and fraudulently marketed under the name of “ghee.”
Meanwhile, the spices produced by Bombay Sweets & Co. Ltd. failed to meet the Bangladesh Standards (BDS) across several parameters.
Specifically, five spice products from Bombay Sweets & Co. Ltd. failed to comply with the Bangladesh Standards due to excessive levels of total ash and salt. These products are:
- Curry Powder Duck Meat Masala (Batch No 141224)
- Tehari Masala (Batch No 140226)
- Kala Bhuna Masala (Batch No 260927)
- Beef Masala (Batch A)
- Fish Masala (Batch No A)
Failed ghee and butter oil brands
The five ghee and butter oil products that failed to meet the Bangladesh Standards across various parameters are:
- ‘Baghabari’ brand ghee manufactured by Baghabari Premium Ghee Company (production date: 01.07.2026, expiry date: 30.07.2028)
- ‘Arun Baghabari’ brand ghee manufactured by Kishoreganj Food Products (production date: 17.07.2026, expiry date: 24.12.2027)
- ‘New Radhuni’ brand ghee manufactured by Messrs Mamun Food Product (production date: 15.04.2025, expiry date: 14.04.2027)
- ‘City’ brand ghee manufactured by Messrs Mamun Food Product (production date: 10.01.2026, expiry date: 10.12.2028)
- ‘Elders’ brand butter oil manufactured by Elders Food Products and Packaging Industries (Batch No 022026)
Laboratory analyses of these ghee and butter oil products showed that their Refractive Index, Iodine Value, Saponification Value, and Polenske Value were outside the legally prescribed limits.
Strict vigilance warned
BSTI Director General (Secretary) Kazi Imdadul Hoque emphasised that maintaining product quality in accordance with national standards is a legal and moral obligation for every licensed institution.
“BSTI is fully committed to taking necessary legal action if any institution fails to discharge this responsibility,” Hoque warned, adding that the regulator maintains strict surveillance to prevent counterfeiting and adulteration alongside issuing quality certifications.
The director general advised consumers to check the BSTI certification mark, licence number, manufacturing and expiry dates, list of ingredients, and other crucial details before buying any product.
He also urged the public to immediately report complaints regarding product quality, adulteration, fraud, or the misuse of the BSTI logo by calling the hotline at 16119 or emailing [email protected].
