A significant amount of adulterated date and sugarcane jaggery had long been produced in Faridpur using harmful substances such as shoe glue, alum, low-grade cattle-feed molasses, banned hydrogen, non-food-grade colouring, toxic flavours, rotten sweets, waste from sweet shops, flour and soda. These adulterated products were being supplied across the district and beyond.
The factory, located in Chhoto Battala of Shibrampur under Machchhar Union, was established by Swapan Kumar Shil. Surrounded by high tin walls and monitored by CCTV cameras, the unhygienic and damp facility operated day and night. Low-quality Indian molasses was brought in by truck every night, and tonnes of adulterated jaggery were produced and later sent to Dhaka, Rajshahi and other regions. Locals alleged that despite knowing about the activities, authorities took no action due to the owner’s influence.
As complaints intensified, a raid was carried out on Tuesday afternoon by Assistant Commissioner Md Atikur Rahman, accompanied by officials from the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection. Upon receiving information about the raid, the owner and workers fled. Officers later recovered and destroyed 6,500 kg of adulterated jaggery, chemicals and equipment, and the factory was sealed.
Assistant Commissioner Md Atikur Rahman said that as the owner could not be apprehended, a case had been filed against him under the Safe Food Act. Locals demanded strict punishment for the person behind such harmful activities.
Khaborwala/TSN
