In May this year, the authorities ordered the withdrawal of all SMC Plus electrolyte drinks from the market.
After that, Acme Group filed a writ in the High Court. In view of this, the High Court stayed the order to withdraw the drinks.
Last August, the High Court extended the suspension by another year.
Tanveer Sinha, chairman of Acme Agrovet and Beverages Ltd, said that SMC Group was the first to bring electrolyte drinks in Bangladesh.
“SMC did not knowingly commit any wrongdoing. BSTI does not have the option of product approval, how do we get approval?”
He further said: “When we tried for approval, they told us to start our activity. When the criteria for this category will be created, then they will approve. Different countries of the world have this type of drink.”
He also said that no approval from drug authorities is required for such drinks.
Regarding the court's fine and withdrawal of goods, he said: “Immediately after the fine, we filed a writ with the High Court and the court ruled in our favor, suspending the order of the Pure Food Court. We are now resuming our activities.”
On May 14 this year, inspector of the Bangladesh Safe Food Authority Kamrul Hasan filed a case with the pure food court asking to ban five electrolyte drinks of 7 companies.