The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has seized over 165,000 litres of edible oil in a nationwide crackdown on alleged hoarding, price manipulation and irregular stockpiling.
RAB Legal and Media Wing Director Wing Commander MZM Intakhab Chowdhury confirmed the matter on Friday, April 10.
He said that mobile courts were conducted at 20 locations across the country as part of coordinated drives aimed at stabilising the edible oil market and curbing artificial shortages.
In total, 165,025 litres of cooking oil identified as illegally or abnormally stockpiled were confiscated during the operations. Mobile courts also imposed fines totaling Tk 353,000 on various businesses for regulatory violations.
In Feni’s Islam Road area, a warehouse was fined Tk 50,000 for illegal stockpiling of edible oil.
In Dhaka’s Paltan, Shantinagar, Nayapaltan and Purana Paltan areas, market monitoring teams instructed traders to refrain from hoarding and overpricing essential commodities.
In Jessore’s Kotwali area, 16,524 litres of soybean oil were seized from Nawab Mill, which was fined Tk 50,000 for illegal storage. In Rangpur, two business establishments were fined Tk 60,000 for hoarding and price manipulation.
Separate drives were also conducted in Savar, Pallabi, Shah Ali and Cox’s Bazar, where no major irregularities were detected. However, traders were issued warnings to comply with regulations.
In another operation at Jurain Bazar in Shyampur, a warehouse was sealed after authorities discovered 1,705 sacks of rice and 500 sacks of flour stored illegally.
RAB also fined a business Tk 30,000 in Sreemangal, Moulvibazar, for storing 8,500 litres of edible oil without proper authorization, while a trader in Narsingdi was fined Tk 10,000 for selling oil above government-fixed prices, Intakhab Chowdhury said.
In separate actions, four establishments in Rupganj, Demra and Habiganj Sadar were fined a total of Tk 153,000 over allegations of illegal production, hoarding, mislabeling and overpricing.
Intelligence surveillance and market monitoring activities will continue to ensure price stability and protect consumer rights, Intekhab Chowdhury said, adding that routine patrols have been strengthened to prevent irregularities and maintain law and order.
TT/MHK