United News of Bangladesh

Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin on Tuesday (11th November 2025) said that raids on retail and mid-level outlets have limited impact, as the main perpetrators behind market irregularities often escape accountability.  “Our goal is to protect consumers’ interests, not to restrict trade,” he said on Tuesday while speaking at a views-exchange meeting with edible oil delivery order (DO) traders at the commerce ministry. The adviser emphasised that facilitating both domestic and international trade is the ministry’s core function, and it has been working sincerely to achieve that objective. “As consumers ourselves, it’s only natural that my ministry and I will work in favour of consumer welfare,” he said, urging DO traders to cooperate and provide guidance in stabilising the market. Warning that decisive measures will be taken to protect consumer rights, Bashir Uddin said such steps would be taken regardless of who they affect. Read more: Govt working on Tk 100-crore fund to revive jute bags: Adviser Bashir He said the traditional practice of controlling the edible oil market through raids at retail or mid-level shops has proven largely ineffective. “The entire supply chain—from producers or importers to DO traders, wholesalers, and retailers—must come under regulatory oversight,” he said, adding that mill owners, DO traders, or both might be responsible for market instability. “It’s unrealistic to think a small retailer hiding 500 bottles of oil under his counter is causing market chaos. TV channels may show dramatic footage of oil seizures, the public may applaud, but in reality, such drives achieve nothing. The small grocer is blamed while the real manipulators walk free,” the adviser said. Bashir Uddin said the government will make sure no one can destabilise the edible oil market, and vowed to identify and act against the real offenders. At the meeting, DO traders complained about not receiving products on time from mill owners and urged the ministry to resolve the issue. Read more: Vitamin-fortified safe edible oil essential to protect public health: Speakers

The National Directorate of Consumer Rights Protection (NDCRP) on Saturday fined Tk 4.5 lakh three egg aroth (wholesaler) at Baipile in Ashulia after finding evidence of illegal profiteering. Earlier egg wholesalers used to earn Tk0.20 per egg. Now they are making a profit of Tk2.70 per egg by creating a crisis. By holding the consumers' hostage, the traders are making a hefty profit per egg. On Saturday, the NDCRP in a raid found evidence of illegal profit-making at three egg wholesalers at Baipile in Ashulia. A fine of Tk 4.5 lakh has been realized on three egg traders. The operation was conducted led by Abdul Jabbar Mondol, head of Dhaka district office of NDCRP and assistant director of the directorate Md. Hasanuzzaman. Abdul Jabbar told UNB that most of the egg traders are not preserving the cash memo of the purchase. Not giving cash memo of sale. No price list either. Eggs are being priced based on demand rather than purchase price. Read: Mobile Court fines 36 vehicles at Kakrail It can be seen from their cash memos and documents that the purchase price of each egg was Tk9.40 on August 7 and sold at Tk9.60 at a profit of 0.20 paisa only. After 10 days the picture was different. On August 17, the buying price of each egg was Tk9.10 and the selling price was Tk11.80. In this case, the profit for each egg is Tk2.70 , which is unusual. Thus, for the crime of increasing the price of eggs through manipulation, Asif's egg  Aroth (traders) was fined Tk 1.0 lakh, SJ Agro egg aroth fined Tk 1.0 lakh and Faisal Enterprise was fined Tk 2.5 lakh.