The authorities seized more than 178,000 litres of edible oil stockpiled across the country during different raids on Wednesday. They also fined traders over Tk8 lakh during the raids.
In Rajshahi, SZ Enterprise in Rajshahi town was fined Tk20,000 for selling soybean oil of a previous stock at higher prices on Wednesday. During multiple raids, the authorities discovered 114 barrels containing 23,258 litres of edible oil.
The operations were led by Hasan Al Maruf, assistant director of Rajshahi Divisional office of the National Consumer Rights Department.
In Rangpur, two traders were fined Tk50,000 each for stockpiling and selling soybean oil at a price higher than that fixed by the government during a raid in Rangpur.
A total of 51,204 litres of soybean and palm oil have been found at a warehouse in the New Senpara area of Rangpur city in a raid conducted by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection.
Acting on a tip off, a team led by Afsana Parveen, assistant director of Consumer Protection Department in Rangpur, found 13,872 liters of soybean oil and 37,332 liters of palm oil in a warehouse.
The accused traders are Biswajit Pal and Azizul Islam.
They were also ordered to sell the stockpiled oil to consumers within 24 hours at a fair price.
In Pabna, 63,000 litres of soybean oil seized in various warehouses of Sujanagar, Kashinathpur and Santhia upazilas.
At the same time, the mobile court fined three traders Tk5 lakh for illegal stockpiling.
In Tangail’s Nagarpur area, the DNCRP fined traders Tk23,000 for stockpiling 20,000 litres of edible oil and selling them at higher than stipulated prices on Wednesday.
Trader Shankar Shaha was fined Tk20,000 for stockpiling the oil while retailer Helal Uddin was fined Tk1,000 and retailer Sabuj Mia was fined Tk2,000 for selling the oil at higher prices.
Nagarpur UNO and district consumer rights director Syeda Tamanna led the raids.
In Bagerhat, 5,200 litres of soybean oil were seized in two separate raids in Nager Bazar and Tel Patti areas.
Three traders were fined a total of Tk90,000 for stockpiling the cooking staple.
The seized oil was sold to consumers at the following prices—five litre bottled for Tk760, two litre bottle for Tk 335 and eight litre bottle for Tk1,280.
According to DNRCP Bagerhat Assistant Director Abdullah Al Imran, Sri Bhandar in Tel Patti area was fined Tk70,000, Messrs Shubhash Chandra Pal Tk10,000 and Pal and Sons was fined Tk10,000.
In Barisal, the authorities seized about 14,000 liters of and fined traders Tk80,000 during raids against stockpiling.
During the raid on Wednesday morning, 13,748 liters of soybean oil were seized from the warehouse of Bikash Kundu, a trader in Araddar Patti of the Jhalokathi district town. He was fined Tk 30,000.
Moreover, Jannati Riaz Hossain, a dealer of Bashundhara Food in Nalchiti upazila, was fined Tk 40,000 and a dealer named Shaon Agrofood was fined Tk 10,000 for tampering with prices.
In Dinajpur, two traders were fined Tk20,000 after the authorities discovered 12 cartons of soybean oil stockpiled in the Fulbaria Municipality area.
Bhai Bhai Traders and Nimai Traders were fined Tk10,000 each for selling oil at higher than stipulated prices.
Our district correspondents contributed to this report.