CCS demands traders who stockpile edible oils be brought to justice

Conscious Consumers Society (CCS), a non-governmental consumer rights group, has demanded that those responsible for creating an artificial crisis of edible oil be brought under justice.

The group called for the prosecution and arrest of those who created the artificial crisis, instead of the usual crackdown.

CCS Executive Director Palash Mahmud made the demand in a statement on Monday.

In the statement, he said that despite increasing the price of soybean oil by Tk38 per litre there was an oil crisis during Eid-ul-Fitr.

Oil stored secretly by various dealers and traders is being recovered under the supervision of the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection.

This proves that by creating an artificial crisis of edible oil, extra price is being extorted from the consumers.

However, in most cases, unscrupulous traders are being fined a small amount which is not stopping their immoral activities. Now retailers are also creating an artificial crisis by hiding edible oil.

The failure to take exemplary action against these criminals creating artificial crisis has now turned into a social disease.

Therefore, it is necessary to create an example by filing cases and arresting the miscreants under the current law.

In the statement, Palash Mahmud said Bangladesh has an annual demand of about 20 lakh tonnes of edible oil. Excluding its own supply, it has to import 18 lakh tonnes of oil.

According to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), more than 17 lakh tonnes of oil has been imported in the last one year. As a result, there is no oil crisis in the country.

As a result of the supervision of the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection, the supply of oil from the mill is normal.