The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) fined 80 business establishments a total of Tk10,39,500 during a nationwide special monitoring drive conducted across 28 districts, including the Dhaka metropolitan area, on Monday.
As part of the drive against illegal market practices, bananas artificially ripened with toxic chemicals and approximately 204 litres of soybean oil stored in unsafe urea formaldehyde drums were destroyed in public.
According to a press release, a total of 36 monitoring teams from the directorate inspected wholesale and retail markets, fruit warehouses (arats), edible oil shops, hotels, restaurants, and LP gas cylinder sales centres to maintain stable prices, ensure normal market supply, and protect consumers’ rights to safe food.
In Cumilla, an operation led by Cumilla District Office Assistant Director Md Kawsar Mia, inspected Station Road and the Racecourse area in Adarsha Sadar Upazila. During the drive, “Halimer Kolar Arat” was fined Tk50,000 under the Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009 for ripening immature bananas using toxic chemicals, and the chemically treated bananas were publicly destroyed.
In Dhaka, a drive led by Dhaka District Office Assistant Director Muhammad Hasanouzzaman, targeted green coconut and banana wholesale markets in Karwan Bazar. A banana wholesale warehouse was fined Tk20,000 for storing banana-ripening chemicals and issued a warning against future non-compliance.
In inspections of loose edible oil markets at Karwan Bazar and Krishi Market, officials identified unhygienic storage in unsafe drums and a lack of required product labels, imposing fines totaling Tk2,10,000 on two establishments.
Among them, M/s Satata Store was fined Tk2,00,000, and around 204 litres of soybean oil stored in urea formaldehyde drums were destroyed in public. Helal General Store was fined Tk10,000 during the joint drive, which was conducted in coordination with various agencies under a Ministry of Industries project.
Meanwhile, a special drive targeting green coconut (dab) markets was led by Dhaka Divisional Office Assistant Director Md Abdus Salam. The team inspected Sadeq Khan Krishi Market and green coconut shops near College Gate, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases.
Officials verified supply conditions, transaction prices, purchase receipts, and price charts, imposing and collecting Tk57,000 in fines from four establishments for failing to preserve purchase receipts, operating without trade licences, and failing to display price lists.
Across the country, monitoring teams inspected compliance regarding overcharging, non-display of updated price lists, weight and measurement manipulation, sales of expired products and medicines, and the production or marketing of fake and adulterated goods.
Traders were instructed to avoid using harmful chemicals or prohibited substances in food, charge rational prices, ensure accurate weights, retain purchase and sale receipts, and refrain from hoarding or creating artificial supply shortages.
Awareness leaflets and pamphlets were distributed to traders and consumers during the drives, which were supported by law enforcement personnel, health inspectors, representatives of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), and local trade and merchant associations.
The DNCRP urged consumers to avoid panic buying or purchasing excess goods that create artificial shortages, while advising them to check price lists, maximum retail prices, manufacturing and expiry dates, and weights, and to secure purchase receipts. Consumers facing overcharging, adulteration, or fraud can lodge complaints through the DNCRP hotline at 16121.
The directorate confirmed that nationwide special market monitoring operations will continue to establish market discipline, ensure fair pricing, and guarantee safe food for public health.
