Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) sealed off eleven factories and filed 137 cases during anti-adulteration drives in the capital throughout the month of Ramadan.
They conducted a total of 71 drives in the city from May 16 to June 12. The surveillance team also sentenced 19 people to different jail terms and realised about Tk 26 million during the period, said Md Reazul Haque, Assistant Director (CM) at BSTI.
He said the main reasons behind fining them were selling products without BSTI license, using burnt oil to fry snacks, using labels without BSTI approval, using Standard Mark illegally in labels, preparing, serving food in unhygienic environment and so on, reports UNB.
The drives were conducted in different parts of Dhaka city, including Mogbazar, Shantinagar, Bailey Road, Badda, Chankaharpul,Wari, Azimpur, Lalbagh, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Gulshan, Banani, Kalabagan, Katabon, Mirpur, Jatrabari, Paltan, Tejgaon, Matijheel, Uttara, Hajaribagh and Hatirpool.
Alauddin and Sweets of Chankharpul, Nandos and Crimson Cup of Dhanmondi, Meena Bazar and Prince Bazar in Mohammadpur, Hungry Duck, Fire and Ice, BFC of Uttara, Grameen Sweets of Motijheel, Agora of Shantinagar, Boomers and SBARRO of Bailey Road, Swapno of Banani, Red Orchid of Mogbazar among the companies fined for various reasons.
They were fined from Tk 10,000 to Tk 8,00,000 for violating BSTI standards.
During the drives, many companies were found using trademark without having any license which is considered as an offence, said Reazul Haque.
The drives were also conducted in several areas outside Dhaka, including Keraniganj, Savar, Ashulia and Dhamrai to monitor the quality of food and drinking items as well as puffed rice, banana, ghee, dates, mangoes, soft drink powder, carbonated beverages, fruit syrup, fruit juices, cooking oil, mustard oil, pasteurized milk, noodles, instant noodles and vermicelli and other items.
Reazul Haque said they want to continue the drives to ensure safe food.
Before the Ramadan, the BSTI had collected 286 samples of 24 types of food aiming to ensure unadulterated food and water. Of the items, 36 failed to meet the standards.
