Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested a man on charges of stockpiling soybean oil aiming to make more profit ahead of the artificial crisis in the market and Ramadan. 

The name of the arrested person is Md. Layekuzzaman, a former Deputy Assistant Officer in the Department of Agricultural Extension.

Briefing reporters at his Office, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Tejgaon division Biplob Kumar Sarker on Saturday said based on a secret information, Sub-Inspector Monir Hossain of Mohammadpur Police Station recovered around 512 liters of Soybean oil of Teer and Bashundhara brands raiding a house at Kazi Nazrul Islam Road at around  7:50 pm on Friday.

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The police also arrested Md. Layekuzzaman  on charge of stockpiling the recovered edible oil, he said.

About the stock of soybean oil at this time, he said, “The arrested Layekuzzaman bought 40 liters of soybean oil in two cartons on March 6 from Surya Enterprise of Krishi Market at Tk 6360 and also collected money receipt. He later collected soybean oil from various shops and wrote the amount in the receipt with his own hands, which is a criminal offense."

Regarding the motive behind the soybean oil stockpile, the police official said, "The arrested Layekuzzaman is neither a trader nor an oil dealer. He has stockpiled the oil ahead of Ramadan to sell at higher prices in the future and to create an artificial crisis in the market," the DC (Tejgaon Division) said.

A case was filed with Mohammadpur police station against the arrested person under the Special Powers Act.

Replying to a question, Biplob Sarker said, "Individual and businessmen have been kept under police monitoring at every stage so that no one can create an artificial crisis in the market." Whether anyone else is behind the arrested Layekuzzaman will be known through interrogation on remand through a CMM court.

Whenever anyone tries to cause trouble to the people or create an artificial crisis in the market, appropriate legal action will be taken against him, said the DC (Tejgaon Division).