PRAN Dairy faces sabotage over its commitment to milk quality

PRAN Dairy has revealed that the recent incident involving detergent-mixed milk at one of its rural collection centres in Chatmohar of Pabna, was a deliberate act of sabotage orchestrated by an organised group of disgruntled milk suppliers.

The revelation came during an urgent press conference held at PRAN Dairy’s head office at Pran Centre in Middle Badda, Dhaka, on Sunday, August 10, where company officials detailed the findings of their internal investigation.

According to PRAN Managing Director Eleash Mridha, the incident, uncovered during a local administration inspection at the Village Milk Collection Centre in Chaikola Union, was not a random act, but a calculated attempt to damage the company’s reputation.

“We were deeply shocked to learn about the detection of detergent-mixed milk,” Mridha said. “Immediately after the incident, we suspended operations at the centre and formed an internal investigation committee. Our initial findings indicate that a local organised milk supplier group, long frustrated by PRAN’s strict quality controls, manipulated some of our field workers to carry out this act.”

The group, he explained, had been unable to supply low-quality milk to PRAN due to the company’s rigorous testing protocols. In retaliation, they allegedly tricked three employees into mixing detergent with milk and then informed authorities, aiming to falsely implicate PRAN Dairy.

PRAN has temporarily suspended three workers suspected of involvement. The investigation has also identified four local milk suppliers linked to the conspiracy, against whom the company has initiated legal proceedings.

Eleash Mridha strongly condemned the misuse of social media to spread misinformation: “Footage showing the seizure of adulterated milk, including soda, oil, and detergent, from a supplier’s home during a government operation was falsely circulated as if it came from a PRAN facility. This is deeply distressing. We urge the public not to be misled by edited videos from unrelated locations.”

Maksudur Rahman, Chief Operating Officer of PRAN, revealed that several suppliers from Chaikola Union had been permanently banned due to repeated quality violations – a standard practice under PRAN’s strict supplier monitoring system, which is digitally recorded and enforced.

“These banned suppliers have been conspiring for months to tarnish our brand,” Rahman said. “They have been intimidating our staff and even resorted to violence. On March 7, one of our officials was physically attacked and threatened with death if he didn’t accept their substandard milk. A case was filed with the local police.”

He added: “After failing to pressure us, they devised this plan – manipulating suspended workers to mix adulterated milk at the collection centre and then alerting authorities. Their goal was not just disruption, but reputational harm.”

Kamruzzaman Kamal, Marketing Director of the PRAN-RFL Group, reassured consumers that PRAN milk is safe and pure.

“We collect milk only from registered suppliers and conduct four levels of testing – from collection to packaging,” he explained. 

Milk is tested at four critical stages to ensure quality and safety: first, at rural collection centres, where fat, SNF (solids-not-fat), and density are checked using digital milk analysers; second, at the mother hub, where 14 comprehensive tests – including checks for soda, oil, detergent, salt, formalin, pH, and other chemicals – are conducted; third, at the Narsingdi factory, where another full round of testing is performed; and finally, before packaging, when a final laboratory test is carried out to ensure that only safe and pure milk reaches consumers.

 “The Pabna incident occurred at the very first stage,” Kamal emphasised. “Any adulterated milk would be immediately detected and destroyed at the hub level. No contaminated milk has entered the processing chain.”

To prevent future sabotage, PRAN is enhancing its field operations by strengthening awareness among farmers and suppliers, collaborating closely with law enforcement and regulatory bodies, upgrading testing infrastructure at collection points, and installing CCTV cameras at rural milk collection centres to enable round-the-clock monitoring and ensure greater transparency and accountability.

Kamal expressed deep regret for the anxiety caused to consumers: “We sincerely apologise for the mental distress this incident has caused to millions of families across Bangladesh. But we firmly assure you: PRAN milk is safe, pure, and thoroughly tested. Please continue to consume it with confidence.”

The press conference was attended by Touhiduzzaman, Head of Public Relations at PRAN-RFL Group; Syed Mustyen Kader, Head of Marketing at PRAN Dairy; and other senior officials.

As the investigation continues, PRAN has pledged full cooperation with law enforcement to bring all perpetrators to justice.