31 tonnes of dates seized in Narayanganj

The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) today (12 March) seized 31 tonnes of dates, estimated to be worth Tk49 lakh, in Narayanganj's Sonargaon.

The dates were recovered from two establishments during a raid, led by DNCRP Dhaka Metropolitan Assistant Director Abdus Salam, at Star Multipurpose Cold Storage in Kutubpur area of Kanchpur union.

"Fourteen tonnes of dates were recovered from Moushumi Enterprise. These dates, with an original expiry date of 2021, were intended to be remarketed with counterfeit stickers that would show that these dates have extended shelf life," said Abdus Salam. 

"Another 17 tonnes were found at Madina Enterprise, stocked with the intention of later selling at high prices during Ramadan," he added.

DNCRP Narayanganj Assistant Director Selimuzzaman said, "Dishonest traders wanted to market these dates after creating a crisis in the market. 

"We sealed the dates. We received 14 tonnes of expired dates and 17 tonnes of dates without documents." 

"No one has been fined so far. Legal action will be taken after an investigation," he added.

Each year, during Ramadan, demand for dates experiences a notable rise in Bangladesh, as this delicious fruit becomes an indispensable item for daily iftar consumption throughout the fasting month.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce has revised the wholesale prices of both the common date and the widely popular Zahidi variety this Ramadan.

The prices for ordinary or low-quality dates have been fixed at Tk150 to Tk165 per kilogram. For the widely-used Zahidi variety dates, the prices have been set between Tk170 to Tk180 per kg.

Currently, the dates are being sold for Tk350-400 per kg in markets.