S Alam mill found to have stopped selling bottled soybean oil

Officials of the Directorate of Consumers' Rights Protection during a drive Sunday found that the edible oil mill, owned by S Alam Group in Chattogram, stopped selling bottled soybean oil on excuse of regular maintenance.

Besides, the price of a five-litre soybean oil can was found with price tag, which is Tk66 more than the government-fixed rate.   

The raid was conducted by a team of the directorate, led by Deputy Director Md Faijullah of the consumer rights protection directorate of Chattogram division.

Assistant Director of the directorate Didar Hossain told The Business Standard that the mill authorities said that sale of bottled soybean oil was stopped as part of the regular maintenance of the refining machine, which would take at least another week. But the mill is continuing sales of 275 trucks of loose and palm oil daily. 

"There is no oil hoarded in the mill, which was closed three days ago for maintenance work. We have asked them to re-open the mill as soon as possible, preferably on Sunday," he said.    

Didar Hossain also said a five-litre container of soybean oil was priced at Tk835 instead of government-fixed Tk769. The issue was brought to the notice of higher authorities of the directorate.