4/29/2002 (Soyatech) - The Malaysian Palm Oil Rural Market PromotionProgramme in Bangladesh was launched last Saturday at Hathazari, a villagenear port city Chittagong.The objective of the programme is to promote and popularise palm oil as anedible ail among the rural population of the country.It is the second such programme organised in Bangladesh by the MalaysianPalm Oil Promotion Council (MPOPC) and the. Bangladesh Edible Oil Ltd, aprivate company marketing palm oil in this country. The first programmevas held just one year ago when promotional activities and campaign wereconducted in 60 villages. Encouraged by good response from the ruralpeople last year, the MPOPC has organised this second programme whenanother 60 villages under 30 districts will be covered.During this programme, the facts about nutritious and healthful palm oilwill be conveyed to the rural consumers by the workers sand volunteers ofthe MPOPC. Bangladesh Commerce Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhuryinaugurated the programme at Hathazari in Chittagong.Appreciating the move of the MPOPC to popularise palm oil, the ministerexpressed the hope that the trade and economic relations betweenBangladesh and Malaysia would be strengthened further in the coming days.Malaysian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Ashaary Sani, the CEO of MPOPCDatuk Haron Siraj, country manager of MPOPC for Bangladesh AKM FakhrulAlam and general manager of Bangladesh Edible Oil Ltd Yip Yoon Jee alsoaddressed the function. Moushumi, a popular film actress was also presentat the function and said that Palm oil was now a well-known and popularedible oil among the housewives of Bangladesh."Housewives like this cholesterol - free edible oil enriched, with vitaminE which helps to maintain good health"., she told the largely attendedfunction.According to MPOPC officials, palm oil's popularity in Bangladesh has beensteadily increasing. A total of 350,000 tonnes of edible palm oil in crudeform were imported in Bangladesh in 2001 which was about 40 per cent oftotal import of edible oils. "During the last 'three months (January -March) a total of 96,435 tonnes of palm oil were imported in Bangladesh,"they said. - Bernama

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