Unpackaged soya bean oil sales to end fully in 6 months: DNCRP
07/08/2023 (New Age) - The government will eliminate the sales of unpackaged soya bean oil within the next six months, said a senior official of the Directorate of National Consumers’ Right Protection on Monday.
As per a government decision in line with the consumer rights protection act, the sales of unpackaged soya bean oil have been illegal after July 31 as the commodity is unhealthy and lacks vitamins.
DNCRP director general (additional secretary) AHM Shafiquzzaman said that it would be possible to implement fully the ban of the sales within the next six months with the cooperation of all stakeholders.
He made the comment at a programme on awareness about the ban on distribution and sales of unpackaged soya bean oil at the DNCRP office in the capital Dhaka on Monday.
‘The Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners and Vanaspati Manufacturers Association through an application urged the commerce ministry to extend the period of the sales of unpackaged soya bean oil for six months,’ he said.
Shafiquzzaman urged the vegetable oil refiners to submit a working plan for the next six months to end completely the sales of packaged soya bean oil.
His office will monitor the market activity based on the working plan, he said.
‘Our campaign will continue to raise awareness about the harmful effects of unpackaged soya bean oil,’ he said.
He said that fortification of vitamin ‘A’ in edible oil had been the subject since the enactment of the Act, 2013.
‘We do not find vitamin A in unpackaged soya bean oil,’ he said.
Even vitamin A is added to unpackaged soya bean oil, due to processing, it does not contain the required amount of vitamin A at the consumer level, Shafiquzzaman said.
‘Also, there is an over-pricing tendency on unpackaged soya bean oil sales and we want to work together with businesses to create awareness as well as banning its sales,’ he said.
Senior government officials and representatives of edible oil companies also attended the programme.