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The government has asked the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection to take stringent actions against the edible oil refineries in case of violation of the existing government order.
To this effect, the commerce ministry has recently instructed the agency to take necessary legal steps on the spot using the legal provisions of the country, said officials.
A monitoring team of the directorate found different irregularities during its visit to six refineries in mid-March, they added.
The irregularities included reduction of supply volume in the market, not delivering even after taking supply orders, marketing the item at prices more than the prices set by the government authorities, and keeping refinery units shut, according to an official who was involved in the monitoring process.
Following the allegations, the consumer rights protection directorate called representatives of the units at its office to know their explanations on the irregularities, a high official said.
But they denied the allegations of irregularities and explained on behalf of their respective units, he added.
Later, in March, the directorate in a letter requested the commerce ministry to take measures against the errant refiners. In reply, the ministry instructed the entity to take legal actions according to its existing act as there are many legal provisions for taking actions against the irregularities, said a senior official of the commerce ministry.
Edible oil, a key essential, is an import-dependent item. The price of the mostly consumed kitchen item is now maintaining an upward trend in the international market, creating an impact in the domestic edible oil market, said the letter.
"It is known from different sources that different edible oil producing refineries are breaching the existing 'Essential Commodities Marketing and Distributor Appointment Order 2011'. The practice should be controlled for the interest of the country's people," the letter to the commerce ministry reads.
According to traders, supply of soybean oil in the wholesale market as well as in the retails is very little - the sale of soybean and palm oil in Chattogram's Khatunganj, the country's largest wholesale market, has also declined.
Despite the low supply of soybean oil, it is being sold at Tk160 set by the government in the retail market.