Bought oil from TCB, found water in the carton.

In a surprising mix-up ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, a shipment of essential goods supplied by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCDB) intended for sale at subsidised prices was found to contain water bottles instead of cooking oil.

The incident occurred in Boda Upazila of Panchagarh district when officials opening a TCDB oil carton discovered nine bottles of water rather than the expected soybean oil. Upon learning of the discrepancy, the authorities refused to accept the shipment and immediately arranged for its return.

The incident came to light on Wednesday, 18 February, during the unloading of a truck at the LSD warehouse adjacent to the Upazila Food Controller’s office. The truck had transported goods from the TCDB depot at Doshmail in Dinajpur to Boda Upazila for distribution.

Warehouse sources reported that during the unloading process, the workers noticed a discrepancy in the weight of one of the cartons. Acting on suspicion, they opened the carton to find nine 2-litre bottles filled with water, completely replacing the expected soybean oil.

Rabiul Karim Siddiqui, the acting officer in charge of the Boda LSD warehouse, confirmed the discovery, stating: “When one carton was opened for verification, it contained water bottles instead of the soybean oil. We immediately halted the unloading process and informed the higher authorities.”

Following standard procedure, the Upazila Executive Officer, Rabiul Islam, confirmed that the shipment was not accepted and the truck was sent back. He added, “The matter is under verification. Appropriate action will be taken according to the instructions of the higher authorities.”

The incident has raised concerns about the quality control and verification processes in the distribution of essential commodities, especially during Ramadan when demand peaks. TCDB officials have assured that they are investigating the mishap to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Summary of the Incident

Officials emphasised that the swift detection prevented the erroneous products from reaching consumers. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the mix-up was accidental or deliberate. Meanwhile, normal distribution operations continue with heightened scrutiny to ensure that essential goods reach the public as intended.